Flames of Ecstasy
by Priah
Summary: DracoHermione, classic hbhg boring million chapter of nothingness story. Most likely the worst fanfic in creation. Do not read it unless you are a recovering insomniac. I suggest one of my others. Any of my others.
1. Beauty and the Beast

A/N: First of all I have to say that this IS my first attempt at a fan fiction of any kind, and flames are looked at as creative criticism. Feel free to flame me! I can't get much more depressed than this anyway..Second: I realize that both Hermione and Draco are EXTREMELY out of character, especially Draco..and all I can say to make that more understandable is that they ARE in 7th year, and have gotten more mature than they were. People change, and that's why Draco isn't vicious and mean anymore.when in reality the reason is I'm not really that obsessed with Harry Potter, I just like this whole D/Hr romance thing..::swoon:: in my mind's eye, Draco is like the hottest guy ever, and I think he gets a bad rep, ;o) SORRY about the messed up spacing, it was either this or all clumped up together..  
  
  
  
ATTENTION:: I am looking for a beta reader! I will send you everything before posting it, and you can give me your thoughts. If anyone reads this and really likes it, or really hates it, and thinks they qualify for the job, e-mail me at DisenchantedSoul@antisocial.com. Thanx for reading!  
  
Also, bold italics are thoughts, bold is talking, and italics are used in the normal sense, j/fyi ~Mandy  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ONE: Beauty and the Beast  
  
Draco lay awake in bed, thinking. He was thinking of his late father,  
  
and how the death of Lord Voldemort led to his death. He thought about where he was, Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco truly loved Hogwarts, and looking back, he could safely say it was the best thing  
  
that had ever happened to him. His whole life was spent, day in and day out, with his father prior to Hogwarts. Although his father wasn't abusive, as some people believed, he was not a loving man. Lucius (AN: I don't know how to spell that man's name!) was very strict, and Draco was glad for that. It kept him from going soft...But, Draco thought, it was too much.  
  
  
  
Not only was he not soft, he was hard and cruel, unable to express emotions outwardly and not allowing himself to get attached to anything. That was what his father had taught him, and that is what Draco grew up believing. His seven years at Hogwarts, however, had changed that. His father hadn't wanted him to attend Hogwarts, but his mother had insisted he  
  
be close by. Draco had come to Hogwarts full of hatred for anyone and anything that wouldn't join him and take over his ways. Potter hadn't done that. His father had punished him greatly when he was informed of Draco's failure to pull Potter into his gang, and he had warned Draco not to make friends with Potter after he had given up his opportunity.  
  
"That Potter," his father had said to him, "missed his chance at becoming something more than a lucky little worm. Don't go near him, Draco. That boy doesn't deserve a second chance! Make his life hell. make him rue the day he turned his back on a Malfoy!"  
  
  
  
Draco wasn't really afraid of his father, just intimidated by him. Draco did not want to think of his father, he hated him. Well, he hated him  
  
as much as a person could hate their father. He was, after all, just that, his reason for life. In his heart, Draco knew that he did love his father, but as a father and nothing more. Not as a friend, not really as even a relative, just because it was his father who gave him life. But, as a person, Draco hated him. He continued thinking about him, reminiscing, of his childhood, remembering the days in Malfoy Manor when his only cares were to not spill or break anything, and to not let his father catch him doing anything  
  
"Un-Malfoy" like.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
  
  
Draco turned his head to read the blue digital numbers of his alarm.  
  
2:32Am. Draco turned his gave back to the ceiling. "This night is wasted!" He whispered into the night, "Sleeping now would only mean waking up as tired, if not more tired, than I would be staying up." Draco was a little angry at himself for allowing his mind to slip away into thoughts and not into dreams. Not that Draco was one to dream, or at least not usually. When he did dream, however, it was not dreams filled with happy children laughing and singing, or fairytale lands filled with imaginative beasts. Which, he thought, could be real and in the  
  
forbidden forest right now.maybe I should ask Hermione, ha.  
  
  
  
One may wonder exactly why Draco would randomly think of someone like Hermione Grange and not ask himself why, but he did just that. Draco opened the lush forest green curtains that surrounded his green  
  
and silver bed, and peered into the room. It was dark; the house elves hadn't lit the fires yet. Draco considered doing it himself, but decided against it. They would know he had been up, he didn't want that. Instead, he pulled off  
  
his plush, snake engraved, green bedspread and sat up. Shivering slightly in his think silk pajamas, he got out of bed. Draco walked, feeling the way, to the trunk at the foot of his bed. Draco slowly undid the latch, hoping to not wake the other boys in the dorm, then opened the lid. Suddenly, he paused. There were no other boys in the room, he laughed. He was Head Boy of his year, and had been honored by a room of his own, as did the Head Girl. Their rooms were joined through a common room of their own, which of course led to the halls of Hogwarts.  
  
Draco sifted through the various things in the trunk, and finally held up his wand victoriously. He muttered a lumos and his wand shown brightly. He stood, pausing to look around before heading for the door. His hand graced the cool door know lightly, and he felt the hairs on the back of his  
  
neck stand up. He could almost hear his father yelling, Malfoys fear nothing. Things like that were all he ever heard from his father.  
  
Draco brushed the thoughts of his father away and grabbed a robe from the chair near the door before opening it. He donned the robe while gliding into the common room. What he saw there stopped him in his tracks, not in fear, but in surprise. His eyes fell first upon the fire place, where a slow fire was dieing down. The house elves haven't lit the fires yet. Draco  
  
thought, confused. His gaze then drifted around the room until it fell on a  
  
lonely figure in a plush armchair. It was Hermione Granger, Head Girl. She was curled up, knees below her chin, head rested on a book. Draco looked at  
  
her; she looked so helpless, so frail, when she was asleep. Draco stared at  
  
her, sizing her up. She was dressed in short read pajama bottoms and a black cotton tank top. Her dark brown waves fell over her eyes and framed her face. Draco noticed she was shivering, and realized himself that he too was  
  
cold. The floor was like ice, numbing his feet. Again surveying the sleeping girl, Draco noticed a red blanket gathered around the base of her chair. Without even thinking about what he was doing, Draco walked to her. He set his wand, facing away from her, on the small table next to the chair, as not to wake her. Draco knelt and picked up the blanket, draping it around the sleeping Head Girl. He then slowly took the book from under her chin, marked the page, and placed the book next to his wand on the small end table.  
  
Draco turned back to Hermione, examining her face in the dull firelight. He gently brushed aside the tendrils of lush brown curls that had fallen over her face. Draco just looked at her, she really was beautiful. Her hair had gained more control since they had met seven years ago, and it framed her face perfectly. Her skin was pale and smooth, ruby lips on a porcelain face. She had small, elegant features, usually lit with the shine of big brown, honey shaded eyes, which matched her hair attractively. Thin, arched eyebrows accented her eyes, and long, flowing lashes fell below the lids in a long fan.  
  
Years ago, Draco would have been punished for thoughts such as these. Somehow, his father always seemed to know what he was thinking, particularly when it was something Draco knew he would not approve of. Now, Draco didn't slap himself for these thoughts, just let them flow. His eyes had wandered from the face of the sleeping girl to the face of the dieing fire as he crouched on the cold floor.  
  
Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a slight increase in speed of breath. Hermione's heart rate jumped and she began to take short, ragged  
  
breaths. Taken off guard, Draco fell back. Hermione shifted in her chair and stared to slow her breathing. Draco sighed, and adjusted her blanket again.  
  
The dream had caused Hermione to come near consciousness, and at the touch of Draco's hands, her eyes began to flutter open. She looked at Draco, and felt surprisingly calm. She smiled before closing her eyes and drifting  
  
back into her warm state of darkness. Draco smiled back and watched her a moment before standing. He reached for his wand on the table and his eyes fell upon the book Hermione had been reading. He cast a little wand light over it, enough to read the cover. It was a muggle fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. Draco smiled again as he thought of the story, and the similarities between it and the relationship between himself and Hermione. Hermione... He had been much nicer to her, and everyone else, since his father's death,  
  
but he was sure she still despised him. Knowing her, she probably thought his niceness was some sort of cover for grief, or a disguise, but he knew different. She, the beauty, and he, the beast who would never change in her  
  
eyes, never be loved. A flash of emotion shown in his silver - grey eyes, perhaps regret, perhaps sorrow. A frown crossed his lips and he turned back  
  
to the sleeping beauty. "In the end," he whispered, "the beast loves only the beauty." He picked up his wand and turned back to the door of his room. Hermione waited for him to close the door behind him before she opened her eyes, and said, in a voice full of longing, "I know, and the beauty loves only the beast."  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: End of chapter one! I'm not one of those people who are like " I have to get 15 reviews before I post the second chapter" duh, that's not fair to the people who actually WANT to read your story. So I'll post up the second one as soon as I get it typed up. I have like the first 6 or 7 done, some are pretty short though, but they're all hand written..meaning I have to type them. Just review ok? Flames welcome.  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Draco, Lucius, Hermione, Hogwarts, the terms Head Girl and Head Boy, the word muggle, house elves, wands, or the story beauty and the beast. I know you all knew that, but they make you say it anyway, so wth. 


	2. The Balcony

A/N: Next chapter, already written, just needs to get typed, as always..This one doesn't have as messed up of spacing as the last one, and hopefully it won't be as annoying to read.. Not much more to say, still looking for a BETA!!!! E-mail me if you're interested, DisenchantedSoul@anitsocial.com.  
  
I know they are OOC, sorry, but I like them like that. This IS fiction, by the way, so I can write them however I want! It's called freedom of..um, fan fiction! Yeah! So there! I NEED A BETA!!!  
  
Disclaimer: You all know I own nothing except the plot, which was probably subconsciously taken or influenced from somewhere else anyway.ha  
  
NOTE: that whole system of bold and italics isn't gonna work, the site wont allow it.so I'm using the ** method. Anything in *s is thinking, and anything in quotes is talking.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWO: The Balcony  
  
  
  
Hermione sighed; she peeled off the blanket, and stood from her armchair. She averted her eyes from the flames of the small kindle and reached for her book. She saw the bookmark, delicately placed on a wrinkled page, where her head must have rested. She draped the throw over the crook of her arm and started the walk to her own room.  
  
Hermione paused at the door and let her eyes drift over her shoulder to a door only a few feet away from hers. A sign labeled "Head Boy" still swung slightly. She opened the door to her room and stepped in. Hermione shuffled over to an end table next to her queen-size, red and gold, four-poster bed. She blindly fumbled for her wand, and upon finding it, muttered a simple spell, lighting all the candles in the room and shedding a warm gold light into the vast space.  
  
  
  
Hermione looked around, her eyes brushed paste the bed and night table, over the large bookcase, charmed to always have the book she was looking for, provided it was fiction, over the fire place, and stopped on the vanity, eyes on eyes as her reflection stared back at her. Hermione liked her reflection, she had become very pretty, and she liked the way she looked. She smiled, and averted her eyes from the mirror. Hermione spun around and gazed eagerly at the moon, as if looking for something. A spark of suspicion seemed to flash in her eyes, and she donned a cloak before stepping quietly out on to the balcony.  
  
  
  
She didn't stop until her hands silently hit the railing. Slowly, Hermione brought her gaze from the moon to the ground below. There was a light snow covering the land, and it blanketed the trees and large rocks near the lake. Some still lingered in the air, and she shivered, pulling the cloak tighter around her. Her eyes drifted to the lake where the calm moonlight glittered on the surface. Suddenly, her eyes attempted to focus, she thought she had seen a flash of blonde hair, and her mind went directly to Draco. **That's impossible**, she told herself silently. **He went directly to his room; there wasn't enough time to get to the lake. **  
  
  
  
But Hermione knew Draco, and she knew he could find a way. Her mind began to contemplate a way for him to make it down there; apparition was out, even though Voldemort was dead, Dumbledore had not taken the charm off the school. Hermione assumed it was because of angry former death-eaters, when in reality, Dumbledore liked the elimination of both students and staff being seen in..indecent positions, and lack of people being caught off guard.  
  
  
  
Draco could have flown from his balcony on his broom, but the Quidditch team usually kept their brooms in designated sheds, one per house, so to heave them at practices. Hermione's thoughts drifted off for a while, before she suddenly snapped back to reality and averted her eyes back to the lake, searching for any movement. She thought she had seen something, but convinced herself it was only her imagination, and closed her eyes. She looked back to the lake, seeing nothing.  
  
  
  
"Draco." She whispered loudly, needing to hear something in the silent night that surrounded her.  
  
  
  
"Yes?" A deep voice said. Not expecting a reply, Hermione whipped around to see who the owner of the voice could be. She gasped as she slipped on some melted snow and teetered backward, fearful close to the balcony's edge. Hermione readied herself for the fall, only to be taken aback by a strong arm around her waist. The wind knocked out of her, Hermione wrapped her arms around the neck of her rescuer. Still breathing quickly, Hermione fluttered her eyes open only to see a pair of silvery grey ones staring into hers, full of concern.  
  
  
  
"Are you alright?" Draco said, attempting to hide his concern, but failing. Hermione could see he wasn't trying very hard.  
  
  
  
"Draco? Yes, yes I'm fine. thank you." She managed to say, when enough shock had worn off. A smile shown brightly on the face of the tall boy, and Hermione flashed a sweet one back.  
  
  
  
Draco began to pull away, righting Hermione's stance. He looked back up at her, her golden brown eyes sweetly showing gratitude, but with a hint of confusion.  
  
"Hermione?" Draco asked, a bit uncomfortable at being so close to her. Hermione snapped back to reality and quickly, but not too quickly, undid her arms from around Draco's neck. Draco let go of her waist and she took a small step back.  
  
  
  
"Sorry." she said quietly. Draco shrugged his shoulders and turned to return to his side of the balcony. Hermione had forgotten that Draco's room also had a door leading outside.  
  
Hermione watched as Draco made his way across the landing. Then, the boy turned to her and spoke.  
  
"Are you ok?" Hermione was a little surprised at this question, as well as confused, and her face showed it. "It's just that," he continued, "you rushed out here, and probably would have run off if not for the railing, then stood there for the longest time with a strange look on your face. I was about to say something when you said my name. I wasn't even sure you knew I was out here, but I answered anyway. Then you almost jump off the balcony at the sound of my voice."  
  
  
  
He said this all very fast, and Hermione just listened. Trying to piece together what this platinum blonde boy was saying. When he finished, all she could muster was a nod, and to the look of concern on Draco's face, a weak reply.  
  
  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." Draco didn't look convinced, but said nothing. Hermione saw a hint of. **What is it? Fear? Is that fear in his eyes.is Draco Malfoy afraid of me?** Hermione thought as the muscular seventeen year old advanced toward her. He held his hands out and placed them on her shoulders.  
  
"You're shivering, Hermione.what are you thinking? You're not even wearing shoes! You're going to catch your death out here"  
  
Hermione looked down. For the first time she noticed how cold she was, how cold and wet her feet were. She looked up into his eyes, like mercury in the moonlight. **For me.he's afraid for me...** But, he was right, she was too cold.  
  
She noticed how close he was to her, she could smell his cologne, and had to resist the urge to run her hand through his white-blonde locks. She took a deep breath and shuddered. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"I better go inside." She said quickly and ducked under his arm. He turned to look at her as Hermione quickly made her way inside. At the door, she turned to Draco and smiled. He smiled back.  
  
"Goodnight, Hermione." "Goodnight, Draco."  
  
Hermione slid into her room, leaving Draco on the cold balcony alone.  
  
  
  
A/N: Endo of chapter two! I know it's a little shorter than the first chapter, but not much, and the third should be up soon. I still need you guys to review though! He 


	3. The Morning After

A/N: WOW! I was really surprised at how many reviews I got within the first day of having this up here! You guys how no idea how happy it makes a writer to see reviews, even bad ones... it means that people are reading your work, and that's all they reward I need! I'll thank you guys individually at the end of this chapter, so look for your name!!!  
  
~Mandy  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even the idea to hook them together. In some way I do own the plot, but of course that also belongs to the many influences in my life. Sappy, sappy, sappy...  
  
  
  
CHAPTER THREE: The Morning After  
  
Hermione woke to the bright sun shining through her window. She never closed the drapes that hung around her bed on the side facing the window now that she had her own room, she like to wake up to a face full of sunshine (AN: As I do myself, thank you.). However, she made sure to close the side facing the door. She told herself it was because of Draco, in case he decided to barge in, but deep down she knew Draco would never do that.  
  
She had realized long ago that it was just because she was afraid. Out of sight, out of mind. If she could not see a shadowy figure linger near the door, she wouldn't worry herself about it. Hermione had often wondered if her close connection to Voldemort had caused her to be so afraid of dark magic. She thought better not to linger on the subject.  
  
Hermione sat up in bed. It was November, although there were only two students in the castle. With the death of Voldemort last June, Dumbledore had thought it best to delay the new school year to start after Christmas. He had sent letters home to all the students stating that it was a safety precaution, and to enjoy the extra vacation, but Hermione had suspected it was in celebration of the recent events.  
  
Hermione had gotten two letters from Dumbledore that summer. The first was the letter stating that the start of school had been postponed, but the second was expected. Being a prefect during 6th year, Hermione qualified as a candidate for Head Girl. She had been anxiously anticipating the arrival of the letter that would tell her of her future and final year at Hogwarts. Of course, she gained the position, but also became aware of something even more exciting. As Head Girl, she would be given many new responsibilities.  
  
Hermione had read and re-read the Head Girl handbook until she knew every word by heart, but, in her acceptance letter, Dumbledore had requested of her something not in the handbook. Both she and the Head Boy were invited to come to school as regularly on September 1st. Always wanting to please Dumbledore, Hermione hastily sent a reply that she would board the Hogwarts Express on the first as usual. She was all but beside herself with anticipation at spending four months at Hogwarts with the teachers.  
  
Hermione had forgotten that the Head Boy, whose name she did not know, but would learn of at the traditional dinner on the first night of the new school year, would also be attending early. The Head Boy, however, had not forgotten about her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco had stood there on the balcony for about five more minutes before he finally began to head back to bed. It had begun to snow a little more, and he closed his eyes and faced toward the sky. Draco had always loved the snow, and rain. As a child he was constantly sick, always sneaking out of the Manor to stand in the rain with nothing more than his robes on (AN: once again, an action after my own, I guess I am accepting to all weather conditions, ;o) ). He spun around, a little too quickly, and felt the sick sense of blood rushing to his brain. As the sensation passed, he made his way past Hermione's door and to his own, looking at the ground the whole way.  
  
Ironically, Draco had been thinking about the previous summer as well. He had gotten his letter informing him of his new found duties two months after his father's death. Draco's mother had showered him with praise and bought him a very expensive gift as reward. It was a rare Jumnwip feather. Jumnwips were dangerous beasts that were long thought to have died out, and haven't been seen in close to a century. These evil beasts had the head of a man, arms and torso of a large gorilla, and body of a snake. Sharp fangs are kept secret in their mouths, filled with ungodly poison. Rarely, but sometimes, dominant males would grow feathers from their backs when the females were in heat.  
  
These feathers could be used to cure anything, and were only sold on the wizard black market. Draco's mother had received this feather as a wedding gift from Lucius' father, who was not nearly as cruel and cold hearted. The older Mr. Malfoy had told his daughter-in-law to give the feather to her first born when he or she came of age.  
  
Draco had reluctantly taken the rare gift from his mother, only keeping her best intentions in mind. Then, he turned back to his letter. He knew who the mysterious Head Girl would be... Hermione Granger, of course. She had had the top grades in every class since first year, and although his weren't much lower, Draco had admired that aspect of her. The thought of the pretty girl he had slightly and secretly crushed since not long after his change of heart sent his mind racing. Four months alone with Hermione? How could I say no!? He left the kitchen, where he had been talking with his mother and returned to his own room to immediately start to pack.  
  
  
  
A/N: I know this one is a little shorter, but not by much. Here are all my personalized reviewer feedbacks or whatever; lets call them PRFs, shall we?  
  
Alexia - So do I, and of course! Hehe  
  
SilverDragon - Here it is! And, I was planning on it ;o)  
  
Helly120 - Thanx, I really appreciate that.  
  
Lanielin-lover - Thanx. I know it's bitter-sweet now, but and I kind of did that on purpose. If this were true, I don't think they would just throw themselves at each other right off.... but I like it. The OCC-ness as I've said, and so have you, is just because I'm trying to make it as romantic as possible and still keep the bitter-sweetness, and that means making them that way. Thanx again!  
  
CrazyKid2586 - Thanx, and I e-mailed you about the BETA thing, hope you can do it, I have no one else!  
  
Thanx to everyone who read and didn't review too, you reading it makes it worth my while! Keep reviewing!!! You guys rock! 


	4. Coincidental Realization

A/N: DAMMIT! Dammit dammit DAMMIT! I wrote this WHOLE chapter, and then lost the WHOLE thing! I was on the last PRF!!! And this is the longest chapter yet! You guy's better be glad I like you or this wouldn't be out for a week, haha....it is really annoying to write something three times....haha. NOTE:: this chapter, as well as a few others, has scenes that are portrayed twice, in two different angles. One for each D and Hr. I hope this is not too confusing, but I don't think it will be.  
  
I NEED A BETA! E-mail me if you're interested, or wanna know what that is....ha.  
  
~Mandy  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the sweat and blood that went into getting this typed up and remnants of the plot that were not otherwise subconsciously derived.  
  
(I was gonna call it the chapter from hell, but I'm changing it to...)  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: The Coincidental Realization.  
  
A tapping sound broke Hermione out of her thoughts. She looked to the window to see Hedwig, and smiled. A letter from Harry, or Harry and Ron. Both boys had requested to come to school early as well when they discovered Hermione would be spending most of the extra summer at Hogwarts. However, the Dursleys had known how much Harry would enjoy it and had forbidden him to leave. Ron's parents had insisted he stay home with Ginny, seeing as they would be away and all of the other Weasley boys were, conveniently, long gone from the burrow.  
  
Charlie was still in Romania, Bill, somewhere for Gringotts. Percy had an undercover job in the Ministry of Magic, causing him to travel, and the twins had opened their own joke shop in the states. Dumbledore would not allow them to return early regardless, and all of the protest on both Harry's and Ron's part were lost cause.  
  
Hermione quickly went to the window and let Hedwig in. The letter answered a few of the immediate questions Hedwig's arrival had conjured.  
  
"Hermione,  
  
Enjoying your time spent with Malfoy? Harry is staying in the burrow for a while; I think the Dursleys are afraid of my parents. We miss you 'Mione! We will see you after Christmas, but perhaps we could meet in Diagon Alley the weekend before school. Dumbledore has to allow you to go and get some supplies and what not.  
  
Write soon, Harry and Ron  
  
P.S. If you need us to beat up Malfoy when we get there, don't hesitate to ask!"  
  
Hermione smiled. Thinking of Harry and his gorgeous green eyes and Ron's adorable way of blushing always made her happy. She missed her friends dearly, but she was also glad they had not been allowed to come to school early. Their intentions were good, but Harry and Ron acted more like overbearing big brothers than friends.  
  
For reasons she did not understand, Hermione WAS enjoying her "time spent with Malfoy".  
  
She made a face, surprised at the use of his last name. Hermione never called him that, and hadn't since 5th year when his new identity had become more apparent. She had had a fight with Harry and Ron over her calling him Draco, however. Harry, always the mediator, tried to convince a stubborn Ron that Hermione could call whomever she wanted whatever she wanted, and Hermione was grateful for that. She was a little ticked at Ron, however, and stormed out of the Gryffindor common room, leaving a stale statement behind.  
  
"Harry's absolutely right! You should try listening to him, Weasley..." Hermione left a shocked Harry and a slightly hurt, but furious Ron.  
  
She and Draco had never really become friends, and Hermione assumed Ron was happy about that. They were merely acquaintances on a first name basis. These last two months alone together, so-to-speak, had brought them closer. Hermione considered Draco her friend, possibly more, but she was almost sure he did not feel the same way. Despite the fact that, with the exception of the teachers, they were alone in the school, they really didn't see that much of each other. They were together for breakfast and lunch rarely, what with Hermione having an early breakfast and late lunch, and Draco having a brunch and small afternoon meal.  
  
Always they were together for dinner; it had become a form of ritual. One night, by accident, they had entered the great hall minutes apart, and the few house elves not on vacation had cooked them a large meal. Since that night, Hermione had made sure she was in the great hall by 630 sharp, and Draco was always there. She told herself she was not there to see him, nor he her, but she knew that wasn't true.  
  
After dinner, they would traditionally walk back to the common room together, and sit by the fire and talk, or just read. Hermione never knew Draco liked to read nearly as much as she did, and it had been more than once that he had asked to borrow one of her muggle books. She had let him, of course, despite the fact that he too owned an enchanted bookcase.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione was standing y the window smiling, petting Hedwig distractedly, and thinking of Draco. A loud, but not harsh, noise brought her back to reality, and Hermione looked out the window to the balcony. She saw a very sleepy looking Draco, his blonde locks strewn about his face, coving his eyes from view.  
  
Hermione looked at his profile and suppressed a giggle as she swooned sarcastically for Hedwig's viewing pleasure. The owl clicked heartily. Hermione turned back to the half-asleep blonde who graced her balcony. She watched as he plopped down into a seat, and she saw him yawn before tuning back to the annoyed-looking snowy owl.  
  
"Okay, okay..." she whispered, and took a quill from the vanity. On the back of Harry and Ron's note, quickly wrote a reply.  
  
"Harry and Ron,  
  
Glad to see you're enjoying your summer, as am I. It's not so bad here, and Draco's presence in not as unpleasant as you may think. I'll write a longer reply with a school owl later, I am rather busy as it is, and I don't want to keep Hedwig waiting.  
  
Love always, Hermione"  
  
Hermione opened the door to the balcony and pretended to ignore Draco as she walked around to the window and gave Hedwig her letter. She watched him fly off before turning to Draco, who looked away quickly as their eyes locked.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco woke up after only a few hours of sleep. He knew when he went to bed that he would, but warm thoughts of a certain brown eyed girl had led him to do nothing but slip into sweet dreams. Draco realized this and sat up with a start. He rarely dreamed, and whenever he did, they were never good dreams. He shrugged it off and climbed out of bed. Looking at the bedside clock, he was informed that it was presently 710. Earlier than he had thought, but what did it matter?  
  
Draco opened the drapes of his window and took in the November sunshine. Without a thought, Draco opened the door to the balcony. He smiled at the rush of crisp autumn air that ruffled his hair. Draco braced himself as he placed each foot onto the stone ledge, expecting a chill. What he felt, however, was the exact opposite. Then he remembered the night before, and recalled the warming charm he had placed on the ledge after Hermione's slip.  
  
Suddenly, his thoughts were back on Hermione. In a sleepy daze, Draco shut the door behind him, a little harder than he had meant to. He cursed himself as he heard the slam. **Hermione! I'm so inconsiderate... even THESE blasted walls could keep out that horrendous sound!**  
  
He hoped he hadn't woken her, but just stood there, not daring to look in her window. Draco had noticed long ago that Hermione left that side of the bed curtains open, and he did not fancy seeing her in such a vulnerable position.  
  
He plopped down in a chair and stared out into the hazy morning fog. Minutes later, Hermione stepped out onto the balcony. Draco noticed she had donned heavier pajama bottoms, but still wore her black tank top. Her felt a surge of emotion as he watched her tie a letter to the leg of a large snowy owl and watch it fly off. The feeling was not of jealousy, (who was he to tell her who to write to?) but more of longing. Draco shook it off without another thought as she turned around. He averted his eyes from her as quickly as possible, staring into the vast space between himself and the ground below.  
  
"Did I wake you?" he asked, sounding regretful. Hermione smiled, and sat in a chair that was very close to him. He tensed a little, but relaxed as she spoke.  
  
"No. No, I was already awake." A pause, " Draco, if you don't mind me asking..." she tuned to face him, " why are you? I would expect you to sleep for at least three more hours." She finished sweetly. Draco felt a little nervous, **Does she know about the restless nights? The planned, but seemly coincidental, meetings? The endless hours filled with thoughts and dreams of none other than herself? She couldn't possibly know, and I'm not telling her.**  
  
He turned to her smoothly and looked at her mock-suspiciously. She giggled, he really was attractive with his hair like that...but how she longed to brush a stray lock behind his ear, hold his face in her hand. There was an awkward silence, as they both looked away from each other. Draco noticed her discomfort and, not wanting her to leave, spoke.  
  
"Writing to Potter?" he inquired, innocently. She looked at him, puzzled. "His owl." Draco continued, nodding toward the direction of Hedwig's departure.  
  
"Oh....yes. Harry and Ron, they're still a little angry that Dumbledore wouldn't let them stay here the extra vacation." Draco nodded, turning to look at a leaf on the landing near his bare feet.  
  
"Are you?" he whispered, almost inaudibly, before he could stop himself. **Why not ask her? No turning back now...**  
  
"Am I angry they couldn't come?" she hesitated, then, "No, strangely - I'm not." She felt Draco's eyes fly directly to her face, and a tinge of red crept into her cheeks. She would not look into his eyes, not now. He saw this, and went back to examining his leaf. After a moment, he spoke.  
  
"Do you ever wonder why we're here?" He asked, not looking at her, but not for any particular reason. Now, she looked at him.  
  
"Well, we're Head Boy and Girl, it was our job to come and..." Draco cut her off.  
  
"Yeah, but how much work have we done? Our days here are spent roaming the halls or reading. I haven't seen Dumbledore in almost a week, much less have him ask me to do something Head Boy related." Hermione thought about this. Draco was right, how could she not see it before?  
  
"You're right...You don't suppose there's another reason do you?" Hermione was becoming flustered, and a bit hysterical. "Do you think we're in danger? But why us? Who would be after the two of us? Each separately I could almost understand, but together?"  
  
"Hermione....Hermione!" Draco attepted to attract her attention, but to no avail. He rolled his eyes as she continued rambling.  
  
"Voldemort is dead though, is there a new dark prince? Or an upset death eater? Or..."  
  
"HERMIONE!!!" Draco shouted, hearing his voice echo across the grounds. Hermione stopped rambling abruptly and looked at Draco, noticing the annoyance on his face. She attempted to suppress the laughter that was threatening to come out, but Draco had said nothing more, and that only caused her to break out in hysterics. Through teary eyes, Hermione saw the look of shock on Draco's face, making her laugh harder.  
  
As Draco stared at her, a thought crossed his mind. **She's crazy.** He smiled, and watched her laugh. When her girlish giggles had subsided, Draco spoke.  
  
"You're bloody insane, you know that?" He laughed, a little nervously, not wanted to set her off again. She nodded and laughed too, yet not as hard as she had before. "But really, Hermione, you're overreacting. No one's trying to kill us, or at least I highly doubt it. I do think something is going on, however."  
  
Hermione nodded, wiping tears from her face. Draco looked at her, and couldn't help but smile. He liked her, and he knew it. A small part of him wanted to smack himself. **This is Hermione Granger! Father would kill me if I even thought about....** then he remembered something, and the memory caused a warm sence of happiness to flood his veins.  
  
Lucius was dead. His mother had never been better, and everyone who had known the older Malfoy seemed to think his death was the best thing that could happen to Drcao and his mother. He was strangely happy at the thought of being allowed to love Hermione, evn if it meant his father was gone.  
  
**That was inevitable.** he told himself, **I knew he would die soon, what with Potter and all....Potter** Draco had forgotten about him and Weasley. How could he have her with them there? Not that he was contemplating a way to rid the world of them or anything as drastic, but they would never allow such a relationship.  
  
What they thought didn't matter in the least to Draco, but he knew it mattered to Hermione. He couldn't beat them without Crabbe and Goyle anyway, and both goons had been transferred to another school. Their fathers wouldn't allow them to say which, but Draco suspected they didn't even know. They weren't exactly the brightest of 7th years.  
  
And who's to say Hermione would have him? Her heart must belong to one of those friends of hers. He sighed, it was hopeless. She was too good for him, and he knew it. But one can have dreams. **The dreams....** he remembered that he had had dreams of her, but couldn't quite pictue them clearly. He had been on the verge of remembering something, when his thoughts were interrupted by a warm hand on his cheek. He turned to Hermione, surprised by her hand, but also the look of concern on her face.  
  
  
  
A/N: The end of this chapter! Hope it wasn't too confusing, I tried to make it as easy to figure out as possible....anyway, here are the new PRFs!  
  
Prgdsmk - Thanx, and here....now you know!  
  
Guardian Storm Demon - Thanx, and I appreciate you signing in! I agree that Draco's dad is a real ass....that's why I killed the bastard! Haha! I also agree that Draco is very cute....have you seen the new movie? That kid is gonna be h-o-t-t hott in a couple years!  
  
Mai - Thanx, but I think they ARE OCC. That's ok though, I like them that way. And here's the more you asked-ed for!  
  
Poopookacho - Interesting name, I must say. Thanx for reviewing, and not to spoil it, but there will be a "descripted snog" In the next chapter!  
  
Rach - Well thanx! I wouldn't want you to literally die for whats coming, but it is pretty good! Haha. I know it's discriptived, and I too like it that way....but it makes for a long story. All four chapters add up to one night and morning. Harry and Ron are NEVER gonna get there!  
  
Brenna - thanx, I didn't even know you knew my sn  
  
Shadowviolet212 - thanx, and I'll try ;o)  
  
Ashy!!! - HEY! Wazzup, girl? Haha. You better believe that's what I'll be doing...when else do I have time to write that doesn't involve typing previously written material? Hehe. BE MY BETA!  
  
THANX to all who read and double to those who reviewed, I can't believe I have 15 on the second day....that rocks! 


	5. The Descriptive Snog

A/N: HAHA! I wasn't planning on leaving it cliffed for as long as I did, but when its midnight on a school night, you kinda wanna get to bed ;o) Anyway, here IS the next chapter, and an explanation for that whole hand thing....the title is in honor of poopookacho, who wanted a "descriptive snog" haha. I FOUND a BETA!!! Thanx to sxCreedxs, you rule! Email me back!  
  
~Mandy  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the twisted interactions between childish characters and my demented mind. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: The Descriptive Snog  
  
Hermione nodded, wiping the tears from her face. She turned to Draco, who was looking straight ahead, away in thought. He was smiling, the autumn air gently ruffling his hair. Hermione watched him, smiling too. She liked him, and she knew it.  
  
But it was forbidden, they could never be together. Ron would kill her, and probably him as well... Harry might understand, but he would be 'disappointed.' Hermione hated it when he was 'disappointed', even more than when he was angry.  
  
Draco was just sitting there, staring. Hermione wondered what he was thinking...if it had anything to do with what she was. Her smile dwindled. This was Draco Malfoy! He hardly considered her a friend, or at least she thought, much less want to be romantically involved with her.  
  
He sighed, not averting his gaze. Hermione brought her eyes back to his face, and was overcome with something similar to worry mixed with a tiny amount of fear as her eyes met his pale skin. Tears slid silently down his cheeks, falling onto the dark green suede of his robe and disappearing. Hermione wanted to say something, but the sorrow that clouded his eyes stopped her from breathing, much less speaking.  
  
Instead, she cautiously lifted a hand and instinctly wiped a tear from his skin, holding him as she had longed to moments before. She was surprised at herself, and his eyes showed that he was too. He turned to here, startled.  
  
"You're crying," she whispered, breathing shallowly. Draco looked even more surprised, if possible, and Hermione slowly took her hand from his cheek.  
  
Draco's hand shot up to hers smoothly, pressing her hand to his skin. He closed his eyes, taking in her warmth. Hermione watched as the blonde boy turned his head in her hand and brushed his lips against it. Draco opened his eyes, focusing them on the pretty girl's face.  
  
He read surprise, and what seemed to be, and he hoped was, longing in her honey-brown eyes. Draco took a deep breath and lifted his other hand to her face. He noticed Hermione was not attempting to stop him, and that gave him courage. He hoped he was making the right decision. He leaned in, and pulled Hermione's head gently with him.  
  
Hermione felt him draw her near, and knew what was about to happen. She dare not speak his name, even in her mind; for fear that it would drive her to pull away. The Head girl looked deep into the eyes of the handsome (A/N: hella hott) Head Boy, and knew his actions were genuine. She felt an adrenaline rush, and had to fight the urge to jump into his arms and cover his mouth with her own. She leaned in, not needed Draco's assistance, and closed her eyes as their lips touched.  
  
(A/N: HAHA! I was gonna end the chapter here, but that would piss off a lot of people, plus it would be a damn short chapter....plus the title wouldn't really fit, as the snog is in the NEXT chapter....but here's that chapter too....just to keep the suspense, I have an badly placed, yet planned to be, flashy! Haha!)  
  
The kiss was neither Hermione's first nor Draco's, but neither of them had had one so real. Hermione had gone out with Ron for a while, but their kisses were never more than a hasty display of affection. She had also kissed Harry after the defeat of Lord Voldemort, and it was long and passionate, but there was no real emotion behind it. They had simply been caught in the moment.  
  
Draco had kissed Pansy numerous times, despite his loathing of her, but the kisses were usually stolen from him. No other girl would have him, many swooned over him of course, but none had attempted to become involved with him. He assumed they did not do so out of fear, of him or Pansy, but Draco had despised his entire charade with the horrible Slytherin girl.  
  
This kiss, the one shared between them, was different. It was deep and passionate. Hermione had let herself pry her tongue into Draco's mouth and, seeing that she wanted this as much as he did, Draco deepened the kiss further, exploring her mouth with his tongue, scaling her teeth. Hermione wrapped her arms under Draco's and held his shoulders close to her. One of his hands was exploring her chocolate brown hair while the other remained rooted to her flushed cheek.  
  
The kiss lasted for what may have seemed like hours to on-lookers, and when the two broke apart, neither could speak. Breathing deep, Hermione laid her head on Draco's chest. She felt his heart beating in unison to her own, and held him closer. Draco kissed her head and leaned his chin gently on her auburn locks. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Hermione, her closeness, the smell of her hair...her heartbeat. He could think of nothing else. **Hermione Granger kissed me....Draco Malfoy - willingly. **  
  
It was almost too good to believe, but here she was, leaning on him...he supporting her. Draco could have stayed like this forever.  
  
(The following is a flash to right after the kiss; by the way...it seemed a little misleading, so I just wanted to make sure you knew....)  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and leaned her head on Draco's chest. She could hear his heartbeat, smell his cologne....feel him breathing. He was so close to her, and she wanted it to stay this way more than anything. **How did it get like this? ....we were talking...I turned to him and reached to wipe away a tear....he was crying...** She felt herself tense slightly; the thought of the all powerful Draco crying sent shivers down her spine.  
  
She knew Draco had felt it, for he quickly lifted his head from hers and pulled back a little. She knew he wasn't going to say anything, and she needed him to, she needed to break the silence.  
  
"Draco?" She inquired quietly. Before he could answer, she continued...almost sternly. "Why were you crying?"  
  
She did not look at him, and didn't know he had smiled at the question until an unexpectedly cheerful answer broke her worry.  
  
"All that and that's all you have to say?" He asked her jokingly. Now Hermione did look at him, and she smiled. He was right; it seemed as if he always was. Despite the remnants of worry that still plagued her, the pretty brunette decided it best to just drop the whole idea.  
  
Draco moved down, brushing his cheek against hers and plunging into the nape of her neck. Taken a bit of guard at his collarbone kisses, but not really surprised, Hermione threaded her arms under his once more and gripped his shoulders. Draco kissed behind her ear, along her jaw-line, and up to her lips. They shared another deep kiss. Lost in an oblivion of passion, Hermione thought she heard a faint pounding, then a voice...but brushed it away and fell back into the kiss.  
  
She heard it again, and was sure she was not mistaken. Hermione pulled away, leaving a hurt-looking Draco. She realized what he must be thinking and immediately began to explain.  
  
"Draco, there's someone at the portrait!" Hermione jumped up and opened the door to her room, just as a very annoyed McGonagall knocked again.  
  
"Miss Granger? Mr. Malfoy! Please open this door at once!"  
  
"Coming, professor!" This comment came from Hermione, who glanced back to Draco once before practically flying through her room and the common room, stopping at the portrait. Draco sighed, a little put down. **Everything was perfect...why do the damn teachers have to have such bad timing? **  
  
Draco was about to follow Hermione, but turned to his own door instead. **Walking out of her room might look a little suspicious, huh?** He said to himself as he quickly made his way through his room, dodging clothes and books, jumping over a large pile of Merlin knows what, and finally making it to the door. He stepped into the common room casually. Hermione and McGonagall were talking and didn't even acknowledge his presence.  
  
Draco strolled over to them and joined in the conversation silently, standing behind Hermione. He had caught the tail end, and wished he had been quicker.  
  
"I trust you will explain this to Mr. Malfoy. Am I correct Miss Granger?"  
  
"Of course, Professor."  
  
"Good. Now I must be leaving." McGonagall turned and left the room without another word, and Draco and Hermione stared after her. They heard the portrait slam, and then turned to look at each other.  
  
"What's all this then?" He inquired of the missed conversation.  
  
"Heads meeting, I suppose. McGonagall said that Dumbledore wished to see us this afternoon in his office, two o'clock to be exact. She wouldn't tell me why, only that it was important." Draco just nodded and stared at her as Hermione's eyes tracked across his face.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione started giggling. Confused, Draco asked a simple question which he seemed to repeat often.  
  
"What?" Through fits of girlish giggles, she tried to spit out,  
  
"You....you've....you've got...." Draco was beginning to become frustrated with her.  
  
"What?" He smiled on impulse, hiding his true annoyance. "I've got what?"  
  
Still giggling slightly, Hermione walked past him to a desk on the opposite side of the common room. The desk was home to their bottomless box of tissues, and she pulled one out before turning back to Draco, whose eyes had followed her. She walked to him, and lifted the tissue to his face, proceeding to remove her element of hysteria. She wasn't laughing anymore, but smiling brightly. Hermione removed the tissue from Draco's face and held it up for the bewildered boy to see. Draco looked at the tissue, eyes widening slightly, then back to her, then again to the tissue. The soft white cloth was bruised with a pinkish discolorment. Draco smiled slightly, a red tinge prickling into his cheeks.  
  
"You wear lipstick to bed?" he inquired, merely to break the embarrassing silence. She shook her brown curls and answered him.  
  
"Colored lip balm....muggle thing." Draco rolled his eyes and smirked.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was quarter after one that same day, and both Draco and Hermione sat in the common room, reading. They had showered and dressed, and Draco had ventured to the kitchen for sustenance. They had spent the whole morning there, and with only minutes to go, they were ready and waiting for their anticipated meeting with Dumbledore. Suddenly, Draco looked up from his book.  
  
"Hermione?" He said, staring ahead of him, but not looking at her. Hermione was deeply involved in her book and simply murmured a reply.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Do you think she saw?"  
  
Now Hermione's full attention was on the tall blonde boy, who happened to be seated in the chair next to hers.  
  
"What are you talking about, Draco?"  
  
"McGonagall, do you think she noticed the...." he trailed off, gesturing to his face. Hermione understood and smiled, he was so arrogant.  
  
"If she did," She answered, "then she was pretty good at not showing it. Personally, I would probably have burst out laughing." Draco nodded, half listening, rubbing his cheek as if the lip balm had left a burn. Then he realized what she had said and smirked.  
  
"You did." She smiled.  
  
"Yeah, that's right....Oh, Draco...don't worry about it. I'm sure she didn't see."  
  
No longer smirking, Draco voiced his next statement semi-uneasily.  
  
"And if she did?" Hermione snapped her book shut at the question....Draco seemed way too worried about this.  
  
"Well, I don't think she'll tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about" She said hotly. That had come out a little harsher than she had wanted, but nonetheless got the job done.  
  
Draco realized his mistake and mentally slapped himself. **Oh, how could I have messed this up already? Damn I suck at this relationship thing...gotta fix it....what to say? I'm a bad liar...**  
  
"Hermione, it's not that, it's just....well....lipstick and, um....it's just embarrassing." He forced out, this was even more degrading than the lipstick had been in the first place. But, Hermione smiled, and he relaxed as she turned to him.  
  
"I don't think she'll owl your friends, Draco." He smiled at her for a moment, then frowned. He tried to hide it again, but failed. **Too late, gotta say something...**  
  
"What friends?" Draco blurted before he could stop himself. **Oh great, that'll make it all better now won't it?**  
  
Hermione was dumbfounded. She was at a loss for words, but she knew she should say something...comfort him. She opened her mouth repeatedly to speak, but nothing came out. The small clock on the mantle struck two, and averted her eyes from the mislead boy she adored.  
  
"We better go, we're already late." Draco said, sensing her befuddlement. He stood, and Hermione was grateful for the break from answering, but also because Draco wasn't angry because of her hesitation. "Shall we?" he asked, extending an arm to her. She took it and stood. Together they made their way to the headmaster's office, neither dreading the outcome of the trip any longer.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
A/N -- THE FOLLOWING WAS ADDED AS OF 11/26/02, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVIENIENCE.  
  
Seated in Dumbledore's office, Hermione began to get nervous. Draco sensed her feelings and tried to comfort her. Unfortunately, he wasn't very good at it, and only managed to make Hermione more uncomfortable. After what seemed like hours, Dumbledore entered the room. Hermione looked at Draco, very nervously, and Draco looked back with a comforting look. His actions had made her heart flutter, despite her fear. **What am I getting myself into?**  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat, causing Hermione and Draco to snap heads in his direction.  
  
"I know you may be wondering why I've asked you to come this summer, and have yet to ask of you anything." He said in his normally calm voice. Hermione snapped her eyes to Draco's, and he did the same, together sharing a thought. **How did he know?**  
  
The old wizard chuckled. He knew what they must be thinking, and looked at them with twinkling eyes.  
  
"I assure you, I, nor any of the staff, have been spying on you in any way, and neither of you are subject to any curses or charms. This meeting was scheduled months ago... we knew you'd begin to wonder. You two are perhaps the brightest students I've know in all of my career, and I would have been surprised if you had not realized."  
  
He smiled at Hermione, who blushed. **Why had I not seen it before Draco made it so painfully obvious?** Then, she spoke.  
  
"But Professor, Draco and I had been discussing just that moments before we were informed of this meeting." She said innocently.  
  
Draco looked at her...**Why did she tell him that? What else will she tell her beloved Professor Dumbledore?** Draco waited for...wanted...that surge of anger to churn in his stomach, but it never came. This wasn't just anyone, this was Hermione Granger, the same Hermione Granger that had kissed him only a few hours ago. The thought almost scared him. Why couldn't he be angry with her? She was just a girl, and not only that...she was a mudblood.  
  
Draco paled, looking frightened. Why had he thought that? He liked Hermione, a lot...possibly even loved her, and now he was calling her names behind her back?  
  
Dumbledore was looking at Draco, but he hadn't noticed. Draco stared tearily at the floor, not really seeing it. Hermione had been talking to Dumbledore about the odd coincidence, but Draco hadn't heard much more of the conversation. Hermione noticed Dumbledore looking at the paled blonde boy, and turned to him herself, looking bewildered. She trailed off of whatever she was saying and looked back and forth between the young boy and the old man.  
  
Draco had been kicking himself mentally for the thoughts of Hermione and didn't notice the eyes until an old familiar voice broke him from his torture.  
  
"Are you alright, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
Draco snapped to attention, and some color broke into his face. Hermione let out a silent sigh when she was this, and was about to reach her hand out and put it on his when a thought stopped her. Draco wouldn't want that. It pained her a little that despite the kiss, it was obvious he was still embarrassed by her friendship. She turned to the old Professor and looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Yes, fine Sir." Draco answered a little shyly, when he had realized his hesitation.  
  
"Well then, on to business. There is a small problem that involves the both of you." Quickly he added, to the looks on their faces, "Not to worry, though! It's nothing dangerous, I simply need you two to stay here as planned and complete a small project, so-to-speak." He finished, smiling. Hermione was leaning back, a relieved look on her face. Draco however, was more suspicious that she had been nervous. He looked at Dumbledore and rose an eyebrow.  
  
"What sort of project, Professor?" he asked, forgetting for a moment the thoughts that had plagued him.  
  
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, as you know...the other students will not be arriving until after Christmas, therefore, not only will you two be alone in the school, you will also be the only students allowed to take your final wizarding exam in June. I realize that this will cause a bit of a ruckus among the other students, but I also know that you are up to the challenge." He finished, allowing that to sink in. Then Hermione spoke.  
  
"But Professor, how can we be qualified and not the other students? We are simply on the school grounds, and have not learned anything more than they have."  
  
"I agree, Miss Granger. Unfortunately, however, you must take the tests. Not to worry, though! I have confidence in both of you, and I have reviewed both of your N.E.W.T. s and O.W.L. s. As a Hogwarts tradition, the last few pages of each test are not counted in the final grade, but are merely an...aptitude test, if you will, showing us how prepared each student is for the final exam. Both you and Mr. Malfoy received near-perfect marks o both tests, and technically you could be given the exam right now and pass it. However, it is required that you complete all seven years of schooling before you are granted graduation."  
  
Hermione's gaze had drifted, but now she looked at him and asked eagerly,  
  
"Professor, will you tell us our scores for those tests?" Draco had been looking at Hermione as she spoke, but now focused his attention on Dumbledore.  
  
"Strictly speaking, Miss Granger, it is not of my power to reveal to you that information. However, in this case, I shall make an exception." Hermione brightened. "That is, if Mr. Malfoy agrees?"  
  
"Yes, of course Professor." Draco answered without hesitation, and became instantly nervous and excited. What HAD he gotten?  
  
"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy." He nodded his head at each of them as he spoke their names. "You each received only one question wrong on each exam. I must inform you, however, that every Hogwarts student to ever take these exams has gotten questions number 136 on the N.E.W.T. s and number 321 on the O.W.L. s incorrect. They were, of course, the same question, and I must admit that I myself do not know the answer." He smiled, but Draco smirked.  
  
"Forgive me if I seem out of line, Headmaster, but if you yourself do not know the correct answer to those questions, how can you be sure that neither of us gave a correct response?"  
  
"Not at all, Mr. Malfoy. That is a very good question, and one I can assure you I do know the answer to, but that is a story for another day."  
  
Hermione looked at Draco and felt sick. That handsome blonde boy was not the same Draco she had kissed that morning. **How could he challenge Dumbledore? What was he thinking?** Hermione felt the tears build up in her eyes and looked away from him, attempting to gain her composure.  
  
"Is there anything else we should know Headmaster?" She said sweetly, not wanted to sound sarcastic...or to reveal her present state of being.  
  
"No Miss Granger. Both you and Mr. Malfoy may leave now, but remember that the library is open, and some studying might do to pass the time." Hermione was about to get up when she thought of something.  
  
"Professor? Why exactly are we here? It can't be because you wanted Draco and I to take the exam and not any of the other students." Dumbledore smiled his usual smile, and said with twinkling eyes,  
  
"That is also a story for another day, Miss Granger."  
  
  
  
Here is the REAL end.  
  
A/N: I know a couple parts were really corny, but I was forced to get this out as soon as possible, which means neglecting to send it first to my BETA. Sorry xCreedx! I PROMISE I'll send you the next one before anyone else!!!!  
  
PRF:  
  
Helly120: Thanx, and I like them that way too......I guess I'm idealistic, haha.  
  
Clover: Thanx for that, but I'm sure it isn't true.....this story has no plot twists or anything yet....I can't believe no one has flamed me complaining of how boring it is! And I am very proud, thanx....;o)  
  
xCreedx: I e-mailed you back....thanx!  
  
The Cheese Meister: Sorry, but it just seemed like a good place. I am not offended by being called a poopyhead....I've been called much worse.  
  
Avi: Thanx, and sure....I'll e-mail you  
  
Prgdsmk: Sorry, but (as you said) you did it too!!! Hehe  
  
Poopookacho: I read yours, they're great! Thanx....and you better make it good! Haha, here's your "descriptive snog" I hope it's descriptive enough....hehe  
  
JENNY! You're reviews aren't actually showing up yet, but I know they're there....I was there when you wrote them, haha  
  
Shalita: Here ya go, now stop bugging me! Hehe 


	6. Asking the Inevitable Question

I've added to chapter five, so if you read it before 11/26, or earlier than 8 that night, check back at the last section....after the last set of * * * * * 's. Sorry!  
  
  
  
A/N:: I just sat here and read through my whole fanfic. I apologize to EVERYONE WHO READ IT! That is such a piece of crap, why are you guys praising me? First of all, it was like, the corniest thing ever, especially the fifth chapter....but this is my first fic, so I'm hoping to improve. Second, it was mega short....like read it in a half an hour short, and I'm surprised, because it looks like a lot hand written, haha.....and even typed....all of the chapters were like eight pages, but anyway...here's the next chapter for anyone who might think its worth continuing to read....haha  
  
~Mandy  
  
Disclaimer: When I am not here, yet my presence is still known, I discover interesting things, none of which are my own. These things can be ordered, their places be set, but in the end no originality has become evident. I truly own not a word, this story is yours. I only take ink, and contemplate where it pours.  
  
(Haha, I'm a poet, and was not previously aware of it.)  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SIX: Asking the Inevitable Question  
  
Hermione bid goodbye to Dumbledore and left his office with Draco not far behind. She sensed his presence and sped up her pace. At that moment she did not want to talk to him or see him, or even think about the fact they both breathe the same air. (A/N Ooo...harsh) Draco noticed her aura and asked,  
  
"Hermione?" he caught up to her. Even if they were running he would have, and she knew it. "Hermione, what's wrong?" She stopped abruptly, looking straight ahead.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it right now, okay?" Draco looked hurt for a moment, then angry. **Who does she think she is?**  
  
She looked at him, a little frightened. She kept her composure, however, and quickly took up pace again. Draco stood and looked after her, furious. Then, suddenly, all anger subsided, and he felt a mixture of worry, pain, and sorrow in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"It has nothing to do with me, she's just nervous about the test." He told himself out loud, but in a whisper. He started slowly back common room, having no where else to go.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione sped to the common room and made a beeline for her own room. She flopped down on the bed, having no energy to stand. Through teary eyes, she began to replay the conversation in her head, looking for an event that could explain her anger.  
  
Thinking back, Hermione could only think of one thing he had said, and it had been completely innocent. **Asking how Dumbledore could know we had gotten the question wrong was just as terrible as asking how we could be qualified, or why we are here.**  
  
The conversation continued in her head, and followed them out the door. **His face...he was hurt and angry...what did I do?** She knew what she had done, but couldn't believe she had done it. She began to sob into her pillow, still attempting to determine what possessed her to be so cruel.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco walked slowly and quietly into the common room. His anger had somehow returned, and he was glad. **So I am human.** he thought to himself as he walked into his own room. As he stepped inside his dormitory, he heard a shrewd sound drift through the air.  
  
Attempting to locate the source of the sound, Draco pressed his ear to the wall that separated his room from Hermione's. **She's crying..**he thought, stating the obvious. He felt the worry return to his stomach and the anger subside, but he wasn't thinking about anything but her.  
  
"I am human," he said quietly, " and so is she."  
  
Draco sighed and lay down on his bed. **She's crying.....she's crying....do something you ass! You can't just let her cry.** he thought.  
  
Draco took a deep breath. He was standing just outside Hermione's door, clearly hearing her sobs. He knocked and asked quietly,  
  
"Hermione? Are you alright?" She stopped crying abruptly, and Draco took a step back from the door. He didn't want to upset her any more than he already had, although he couldn't think of anything he had done to her.  
  
Suddenly, memories of Dumbledore's office flooded his mind. He heard himself saying, over and over in his head, **A mudblood....mudblood...just a girl, a stupid mudblood...** Draco suddenly hated himself for ever being angry with her. This was entirely his fault, but how could she know what had not passed through his lips? **She couldn't.....could she?**  
  
It didn't matter now. Whether she had heard him or not, he had still said it. He had to fix this, make it up to Hermione. He didn't know how he would do it, but he knew he had to. Mind clouded with memories and regret, Draco knew he had to say something. He didn't know what possessed him to, but he said,  
  
"I'm sorry... if you still don't want to talk to me, I'll leave. I heard you...well" he gulped, " I heard you cr-cying and I was just, um...worried, is all." There was a long pause in which Draco didn't move. He felt his heard beating in his temples, and could taste the coppery tang of blood in his mouth. He was a wreck, but his thoughts rested on the brown eyed girl who resided behind the door labeled "Head Girl".  
  
Suddenly, Hermione opened the door, a foot away from Draco. She looked horrible. Draco wanted to run, or scream....something. The silence was killing him, but he couldn't speak.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione had been standing at the door, contemplating opening it for nearly five minutes before Draco spoke. She opened the door at once. Draco's looked as if he hadn't slept in days, and she felt guilty for putting him through this...whatever it was.  
  
Draco opened his mouth to speak, he had to say something. Before he could speak them, however, his words were stolen by the sweet voice of Hermione Granger.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said and flung herself into him. Draco held her close as the sobs racked her fragile body. He rocked her gently, comforting her. After a while, her sobs became mere sniffles, her breathing slowed, and her grip loosened. Draco dared to ask,  
  
"Hermione, what happened? Was it me? Did I do something, Please tell me..." She sighed.  
  
"I don't know, Draco. I don't think you did anything, I must have overreacted about something. I was angry without cause and I apologize. I shunned you for no reason....are you angry with me?" Without a beat, Draco answered.  
  
"No, never. I don't think I'm capable of being truly angry with you, Hermione." They held each other for the longest time after this statement. Then Hermione pulled away.  
  
"Thank you for being here Draco, I needed you to be."  
  
"Where else would I be?" (A/N-Aw!!!....super corny!) He smiled, and she returned it. Draco was a bit unsure, but leaned in for a kiss. He was a second from touching her lips to his when he thought it better to kiss her cheek lightly. He pulled back and waited for her reaction. She kissed him back, on the corner of his mouth and pulled away. Draco untangled his arms from her and tried to smile. The void that became apparent whenever he was not with her would remain with him for hours. Hermione took a step back into her room and said before closing the door,  
  
"Thank you for understanding, Draco." He kept his weak smile on until she closed the door, and then replaced it with the frowned look of longing he felt in the pit of his stomach. He wanted her....needed her....but he was beginning to doubt if she really needed him as she had said.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione closed the door, leaving a hurt Draco behind it. She knew he was pained, and she was surprised at how bad he was at covering it up. **He really has changed** She thought, and walked across the room. Looking out the window, she saw what looked like an own in the sky, and was reminded of, **Harry and Ron's letter! I'd almost forgotten!**  
  
Hermione spun around and walked to the door. Moments from opening it, she wondered if Draco would still be there. She hesitated, then opened the door. The common room was empty, save Crookshanks. Hermione sighed, not knowing if it was relief or disappointment. She walked past the bathroom door to the matching desks; one engraved with an "H" the other a "D". Hermione sat at the "H" desk and opened a drawer. She pulled out a few pieces of parchment and a vat of purple ink. She opened the small bottle, picked up a quill, inked it and began to write.  
  
"Dear Harry and Ron,  
  
I'm sorry this took almost a day for me to write, but" She paused. **but I was snogging Malfoy and it must have slipped my mind** she smirked evilly, not really surprised by her maliciousness. She couldn't write that, but what if she did? Wouldn't that be a riot... Instead she settled on telling them of the heads meeting and leaving it at that.  
  
"but there was a Head's meeting, and I must have been distracted. As for meeting in Diagon Alley, I haven't asked Dumbledore yet, but I'm sure that will be fine. I will confirm it closer to Christmas.  
  
In other news, Dumbledore has informed me that both I and Draco are to take the final exam in June, while you two as well as the other 7th years will take it next January. I was a little nervous about that at first, but he convinced me that a little studying and tutoring from the teachers will be enough. I can't believe I've wasted almost three months I could have used to study! Hope to see both of you well after Christmas.  
  
Love, Hermione  
  
P.S. Beating up Draco will not be necessary. I know what you're thinking, Ron, and stop! He's not the way he used to be, I swear. Happy Summer."  
  
She read over the letter and stood up just in time to hear the portrait creek shut. She knew it must have been Draco leaving, but why hadn't she heard him leave his room and walk across the common room? She brushed it off and sat back down, deciding to wait for Draco to make for his destination before leaving. She turned to his desk, and traced over the intricate "D" that had been engraved into the corner. She really did need him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco returned to his room after his rather disturbing conversation with Hermione. He sat on his bed, and listened.....nothing. It was quiet; everything was always quiet. Draco thought back to his first few years at Hogwarts. All he had ever wanted was a little peace and quiet, and now he couldn't stand it. He got back up, moments after being seated, and made his way to the trunk at the foot of his bed. Opening it, Draco dug to the bottom for his little black bag. The bag was suede, and about the size and width of a CD case, with a long strap. Draco opened the bag and pulled out his CD player, headphones, and a large case of CDs.  
  
The bag had been enchanted to hold any amount of anything, and Draco had chosen his CD collection. It was one of the very few muggle things he owned, and his father had never known about it. Draco opened the CD case, extracted one, and snapped it into his Discman. Attaching the headphones, he slipped the CD player back into the bag. Draco put the headphones on and lay on his bed, waiting for the music. The silence was, as always, killing him.  
  
An electric twang and Draco relaxed, much better. He lay there listening for about ten minutes when an urge to get up and move overcame him. He placed the bag over his shoulder like a sash, headphones still on. Draco exited his room and took view of the common room. He noted the wavy haired girl who was sitting quietly at a desk, writing. He assumed she was quietly writing, although she could have been screaming and Draco wouldn't have heard.  
  
He watched her, debating whether to say something, and then thought against it. He slid across the common room, not wanting to alert her, and slowly opened the portrait, slipped through, and closed it smoothly behind him. Draco turned and made his way to the library. **Might as well start studying now, Merlin knows I need it.** he thought, whispering the words to "Sick Cycle Carousel"(by Lifehouse, awesome song, by the way.) as he made his way to his destination.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Not even five minutes after Draco left, Hermione hurried out of the common room. She had to see him, touch him, and tell him how much she needed him....Hermione looked around frantically, hoping to see a blonde head whip around a corner, or hear the swish of robes, but neither saw nor heard anything. She sighed, retrieved the letter from her desk, and made her way to the owlry, her need to see Draco dwindling. She still wanted to see him, and needed to, but she could wait...it wasn't as urgent any longer.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco and Hermione did not see each other the rest of the night, and both thought the other was doing the opposite of looking for them. Draco had spent only a few minutes in the library, enough to pick out only a few books and head back up to the common room. Not only was Hermione no longer at her desk, but Draco felt she was not in her room either, and he was right. Hermione had left the owlry after waking a very grumpy barn owl and giving him the letter and instructions. Harry was, after all, staying in the burrow.  
  
Ironically, Hermione made her way to the library next, coming from the opposite side and missing Draco by minutes. Many of the books Hermione was looking for could not be found, and she began to suspect Draco had been there. She managed to find a good amount of books to her liking, and started back to the common room. When back in her room, Hermione could hear the fait music of Draco's CD through the wall. He had switched from a portable CD player to a larger boom box, which had been purchased after his father's death. Hermione recognized the music immediately.  
  
"Lifehouse." She whispered and fell on her bed, listening and thinking of Draco. She stayed that way until the music stopped. They had both missed their dinner, and Hermione decided she was better to let him alone. She wasn't sure if he wanted to see her, and they could always talk tomorrow. She did the one thing she could think of at the time, hit the books. She stayed up until she could no longer hold the book.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco had gone to bed hours before Hermione, but was awake long after she fell asleep. **Why do I keep losing sleep over her?** He asked himself, already knowing the answer. **because we're not together. This has never happened before, I need her. I actually need her. ** He closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come...and it did, hours later.  
  
*  
  
Draco woke again before the sun had fully risen. He got out of bed and walked to the door of the common room. He noticed that the fires had been lit, meaning the house elves had already made their rounds. Draco opened the door to the common room, seeing no one, it was deserted. Draco knew he was expecting to see Hermione, and was, unsurprisingly a little disappointed. He sat in one of the large arm chairs, clad in silk pajamas and a cotton bath robe. Nothing to do but think, he supposed, and began on the test he had only a few months to prepare for.  
  
He felt sick. This was not a good time to study, and he knew he wouldn't remember any information gathered that day. Quickly he dismissed the idea of going back into his room to gather books. He looked to the table beside him, the firelight providing him enough aid to see the title of the book which lay there. Draco took his wand from his large robe pocket and lit the candle that was also on the end table. He picked up the book.  
  
"Beauty and the Beast..." he whispered before opening the book and beginning to read  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione woke with a start. She looked around. It was no longer dark, and she could see everything. Nothing was out of place, everything was silent, and Crookshanks was asleep, stretched out on the bed in the sun. **What woke me? ** she wondered as the sick feeling in her stomach grew. **Something is wrong. ** she concluded, and her mind immediately pictured Draco.  
  
She got out of bed, grabbed her wand and a robe, and stepped into the common room. She scanned the room and stopped as her eyes fell upon a blonde head cresting the horizon of an armchair. Draco hadn't heard her ender and didn't move. Hermione made her way to the front of the room casually. She turned back to Draco, expecting his silver - grey eyes to rest on hers, but was surprised to see that he was asleep. She smiled; he was so irresistible as he slept.  
  
Hermione scanned him, noticing how messy his hair was, and wanting to throw herself at him. Her brown eyes continued to size him up. They fell upon the book in his hands and her eyebrow rose in curiosity. She recognized the book; it was the one she had been currently reading. She sighed, best not to wake him. Hermione didn't see Draco as being much of a morning person, and didn't want to risk angering him, due mostly to the past few days' events. She turned back to her room, but changed course and headed for the bathroom.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco awoke to a beautiful sound. He didn't open his eyes, for fear that it was a dream and opening them would surly cause it to end. Gaining consciousness, he realized the sound was not a dream, but a reality. **A voice, someone singing...a girl...Hermione**. Her voice was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard, and he listened hard. He noticed the sound of running water behind it. **She must be in the shower...** he concluded and had to restrain himself from thinking of her that way.  
  
The water stopped and Draco snapped his head up, listening. The singing did not stop, and he was glad. A few minutes later, Hermione stopped singing and exited the bathroom in a cloud of steam that disappeared in the cold common room air. Draco did not turn around; he wanted to keep the effect.  
  
"Good Morning, Hermione." He said, and heard her gasp, then turned to her quickly and added, "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."  
  
"Oh, that's okay Draco." She said, coming closer and sitting in the chair next to him. "I thought you were asleep."  
  
"I was," he said, "but I was awoken by the pleasant singing of one Hermione Granger." He ventured, hoping she wouldn't think him buttering her up. She blushed a little; she wasn't use to compliments....especially not from him.  
  
"Sorry." She said.  
  
"Oh, quite the contrary, I shouldn't have had it any other way." He smiled; she raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked suspiciously. He laughed and shrugged his shoulder. He played it cool, but his heart was beating wildly, and he felt that if he didn't get this off his chest now, he would explode.  
  
"You," he said smiling weakly. Hermione was speechless, she just looked at him. Draco felt much better, but was still very nervous. **What is she gonna say? ** He reached a hand and placed it on Hermione's, which rested on the arm of the chair. She slid it out from under his, and he looked heartbroken. **I was hoping she wouldn't do that....damn. **  
  
No, she would not back down; they had to talk about this. She placed her had on top of his and looked at him.  
  
"Draco, what are we doing? This is tearing us both up inside, and you know it, I know you do." Draco looked a little shaken, but not really surprised. They had to have this conversation sometime...the sooner, the better. He took a deep breath.  
  
"I know, Hermione. I don't know what's happening. You're all I ever think about, I can't sleep if I know you're upset...I feel empty if you're not near me..." He paused, "this has never happened to me before....I think I'm in love with you." He turned back to her; tears were streaming down her face. **Dammit, I made her cry again! **  
  
"Oh, no Hermione....I didn't want to make you cry...I'm sorry..." He reached for her cheek, wiping away her tears. She melted into him, and knew she had to say something. She placed her hand over his, much as he had done that night on the balcony. She closed her eyes.  
  
"It's not that..." she said, "I feel exactly the same way, Draco. I've never felt this way about anyone. My heart flutters when you look at me...if you touch me, I can't breathe. I need you, Draco. Without you I am nothing." She paused, sobbing. "I love you more than life, and I don't think I could live without you."  
  
Draco heard the sincerity in her voice and pulled her close to him. Nothing could make him let go, not now. He knew how she felt, and he would never forget this day. He felt her hot breath on his cool chest, and kissed the top of her head. This was going awfully fast, but they both knew their words were genuine.  
  
"I love you Hermione, and I'll never leave you....I promise." He felt her arms tighten around him and held her closer. They stayed that way until the sun shown through the small window and the fire needed desperately to be fed.  
  
Hermione pulled away a little, not wanting to let go of him, but needing to look him in the eyes. She saw the passion....and love in them and wanted desperately to kiss him. Draco felt the same way, and, working on impulse, touched his lips to hers. Hermione melted into the kiss and Draco deepened it. **AND he's a good kisser....is there anything NOT perfect about him? ** she asked herself as she swam in pleasure. They broke apart, only to gasp for air. Then he spoke.  
  
"Hermione, please don't be mad at me for asking this, but I feel it's an issue that needs a bit of attention." She looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"What is it, Draco? You can ask me anything, I won't be upset..."  
  
"Well..." he paused, needing to muster the courage. There was no way anything good could come out of this. "What about Potter and Weasley? Won't they be angry about this?" Hermione was shocked, she hadn't even thought about Ron and Harry since she had written that letter yesterday evening. She noticed her hesitation and the look on Draco's face, she had to answer him.  
  
"I'm not mad....I just wasn't expecting that." Draco looked a little relieved, and she smiled. Then she said seriously, "You're probably right, they will be upset. Ron could be violent, we'll have to watch out for him when he gets here, or whenever we tell him. Harry will probably be hurt more than angry, but he'll hold Ron back because he knows this is important to me." She smiled. "Harry will get over it, but Ron I'm not so sure about." She paused, her smile faded. "Draco, why did you ask that? What made you think of them?" He hesitated, then looked away from her and spoke.  
  
"Well, they are one of the reasons I didn't tell you about this sooner. I do love you Hermione, but I want you to be happy more than anything. I had assumed you wouldn't have me, that your heart belonged to one of them. You have to admit they are a big part of your life, and I wanted to respect that." He finished, and looked at her. She was crying again, silent tears falling down her smiling face. Draco hated to see her cry, and burst out before he could stop himself.  
  
"Hermione, please don't cry! I hate to see you crying.....please..."  
  
"It's ok...I'm ok, I promise. It's just that everything you say is so perfect... nobody has ever said anything like that to me before." She smiled brightly. Draco didn't look convinced, but Hermione pretended not to notice, and changed the subject.  
  
"When should we tell them? They are a big part of my life, and I of theirs. They deserve to know about this as soon as possible, but we can't meet until at least the week before term, and a letter is so impersonal."  
  
"Whatever you decide is best, Hermione." he answered and kissed her cheek lightly.  
  
A/N: That's the end....I believe this is the longest chapter so far....but I know it's still not very long. I apologize for the super corniness of this fic, but I like it that way. Also, I agree that this is moving very quickly, but I like it that way too....who wants to read all that boring stuff when they don't like each other, or they do but don't say anything.....and what not. I agree as well that that declaration of love was a bit much, but I thought it was sweet. I know these guys would never talk like that, but hey....its fiction!  
  
PRF:  
  
Fhurly: Thanx!  
  
Beth: Thanx, and I will!  
  
Poopookacho: Well, that's what ya get for being sarcastic! Haha!  
  
Angel: de newsies fan: Thanx, haha...ASAP as possible, ha  
  
Silverdragon: Haha, that lip balm thing pissed off my friend, she's like...that's the corniest thing I've ever read in my life.....my reply? Thank you.  
  
Marlo Venus Starr: Thanx, you rule! 


	7. Dark Premonitions

A/N: If you didn't just come off of reading six, you may want to back track and refresh your memory, the beginning deals with the like second after Draco's final comment. Three for my betas, you guys rule!  
  
Disclaimer: There once was a story, three small children set off on a magical adventure. One of the children, a boy, had a secret past that plagued him. He was, Harry Potter. Harry Potter was born in the mind of a young writer, and grew into the boy who lived. Many children were born after Harry Potter, in the minds of other young readers. These children were very similar to the boy who lived, and that's called plagiarism. A notice was sent out to the many young writers, it said...write a witty disclaimer and no one will give a rat's ass that you stole the brain child of a lazy ass bitch who is constantly losing fans for her lies. All is well in the land of Harry Potter.  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN: A Dark Premonition.  
  
Draco decided to change to a lighter subject. He was too happy to worry about Hermione's friends; there would be time for that later. Beaming, he asked her,  
  
"I'm starved, if I shower, would you join me for breakfast?" She smiled; also glad for the change of subject.  
  
"Of course," Draco glowed. He kissed her firmly on the lips, then sprang up and headed for the bathroom.  
  
A quarter of an hour later, he emerged from the bathroom, clad in baggy jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt, hair gleaming.  
  
"Ready?" he asked Hermione, who still sat in her chair. She stood, and gave an unexpected reply.  
  
"Yep." Draco looked confused; she was still dressed in her terrycloth bathrobe. He was about to say something when Hermione retrieved her wand from her very large pocket. He knew now what she was doing. Hermione pointed the wand to herself and muttered a series of spells under her breath. Instantly, she was dressed in black boot-cut jeans, Dockers, and a red silk princess cut shirt with bell sleeves. Her make up was done, what little she wore, and her hair was dried and clipped casually behind her head. Draco looked unaltered by her transformation, but then smirked. He walked to her, and Hermione knew he was thinking up another of his smartass remarks.  
  
"You know," he said, holding out his arm, "at some point in that spell, you have to be naked." Hermione's jaw dropped a little, but then she smiled. She punched him playfully in the arm, and he smiled. "What?" he asked innocently. Hermione rolled her eyes and they made their way to the kitchen. Hermione didn't mind a little of the old Draco Malfoy shining through occasionally, as long as the sun wasn't up all night.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione lifted her head from her book and looked straight ahead of her.  
  
"I'll write to them." Hermione said suddenly. Draco looked at her, startled. They were in the common room, sitting on a small couch together, and reading. A fire blazed heartily and cool moonlight flooded through the only window.  
  
"What?" Draco asked her, confused.  
  
"Harry and Ron," she looked at him, "I'll write to them." She paused, turning away again, "tomorrow." Draco looked back to his book.  
  
"Whatever you want to do Hermione, they're your friends." Hermione jerked her head toward him, causing him to look back at her. She looked furious. Draco looked confused for a moment, and then he realized his mistake. "I didn't mean it like that, I swear..." Her sneer disappeared.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm acting this way; I think I'm nervous about telling them. I know they are going to overreact, but I don't know what to expect from them." Draco said nothing. Hermione looked emotionless and confused....and he was worried about her. Not Potter and Weasley, he didn't care what they thought, and he admired Hermione for standing up to them. He could tell she had always worked her ass off for their approval, and hoped she didn't feel the same way toward him.  
  
Draco realized that he seemed to always have at least a slight about of worry for her, and that worried him even more. He was not used to this feeling, and it made him uneasy. He cared more about Hermione than anyone or anything else he had ever known. He was getting attached to her, maybe already was, and that was something Malfoys did not do.  
  
Suddenly, Draco was angry with himself for such thought. He didn't care what "Malfoys did and did not do". As far as he was concerned, he was not that kind of Malfoy, and he was planning on changing the definition of the word.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione had remained silent. She was worried about what Ron and Harry would think, and that made her mad. **Why do I care so much what they think...I don't belong to them! ** She told herself she was mad at them, but gave up. They hadn't really done anything wrong, except try to protect her. She decided to wait for their reply to her letter about Draco before officially becoming mad at them. She snapped her head up, and Draco noticed. She had almost forgotten he was there, and a sudden awareness of his presence overwhelmed her. She was in no way mad at him, and his closeness was comforting.  
  
"What?" he asked her, sounding like a small child. She turned to him. She loved him, and she had a feeling Draco knew. She had told him, of course, but it wasn't until that moment that she was sure he believed her. She hoped he wouldn't be hurt by her next statement, but knew it was a question that needed answering.  
  
"Draco, what are we doing?" He was confused, but she said nothing more. Draco didn't understand her question, but knew she was on the verge of anger, and didn't want to push it with a sarcastic answer.  
  
"I love you," he said, knowing he had to say something. She looked at him, and a smile broke across her face.  
  
"That was really corny, Draco." He looked embarrassed for a second, then spoke, hoping he was going on the right track.  
  
"Yes, but I meant it." She smiled again.  
  
"I know, and I love you back." She paused and turned her self away from him on the small couch, placing her head on his chest. "But, what I meant was, where is this going? There was that one kiss, and the world turned upside down. A week ago I wasn't even sure if you considered me a friend, and now we're suddenly acting as if we've been married for years...not that I'm complaining, just stating the obvious. I mean, the first thing you said to me after we, well...had that talk, was what about Harry and Ron...screw Harry and Ron. They don't own me, who cares what they think?"  
  
Draco was a little confused. **What exactly is she trying to say? Is this going too fast for her? Is she mad at me for bringing up the remaining members of the dream team? **  
  
"I thought you cared, Hermione. I only brought them up because I thought it would matter to you, and besides...you said you weren't angry with me about that."  
  
"I'm not angry, Draco, just...trying to get this out. I'm trying to vent a little, in a semi-positive, non-aggressive way."  
  
"I see, please continue." She was a little surprised at this, but agreed.  
  
"Thanks." She paused, then took a deep breath and let out a sigh of frustration, "They just make me so mad! All they ever do is lecture me about everything. That's why I'm glad they couldn't come here, it was like a break from reality." She sighed, a little depressed. She then continued, a little more calmly. "I know they mean well, but I'm just sick of them! I always feel like I need to impress them...like if I have a life outside of what they want, I'm letting them down. I think I'm afraid of confronting them about this, and that's why I want to write to them and not wait....then I think that if I do wait, they'll be mad that I didn't tell them sooner, and that makes me want to wait. THEN I think that I know it will make them mad, and that's why I want to tell them as soon as possible." She closed her eyes and paused. Draco saw his chance to reassure her.  
  
"I know how that is, Hermione....believe me."  
  
"I know you do Draco, and I'm sorry. In a selfish way I'm glad you know how I feel, it makes it less isolating. I don't feel that way around you, I can be myself and you like me anyway....but they're my friends, I shouldn't have to feel that way around them." Draco saw another opening, and was ready with a smartass comment.  
  
"Exactly, Hermione. You should only have to feel that way around your parents." She smiled, but the humor was lost to her. Draco sighed, he was trying here. "Look, why don't you tell them that? I'm sure they'll understand, and if they don't....I don't think they're worth all of this self turmoil." He hoped he was on the right rail with this... he was trying to be supportive, but he knew she wanted advice too. He waited for her reaction, and sighed in relief as she spoke. That could have backfired very easily.  
  
"I think you're right, but I don't know if I can. I do care about them." He ventured another statement, and it had passed through his lips before it had passed through his brain.  
  
"But do they care about you?" **Oh, shit. ** Draco thought, **why the hell did I say that? That was way out of line...she's gonna slap me any minute now, I can feel it...**  
  
Hermione was startled by the question, and looked at him. He was serious. She frowned, he was also right. She sighed.  
  
"I don't know......I think they do, but I also think they take me for granted." Draco was surprised at her calmness. He had really expected her to slap him and storm out the door. He said nothing for a moment and the two sat together for a while, silently. Draco decided it best to let Hermione make the next move, this was her conversation, and waited. Finally, she stirred. Hermione sat up and spun around to face him. She smiled at him, and gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks," she whispered. He smiled. Hermione stood from the common room couch, grabbed her book, and proceeded to her room. Draco watched her leave, wishing she wouldn't.  
  
He watched the door close behind her, then Draco turned back to the fire. **Why do her so-called friends have to be such assholes? ** He remembered every terrible thing he had said to her, starting with their encounter in Diagon Alley the week before first year. Draco played the memory in his head.  
  
She had walked up to him, and began to ask him a question. Draco turned to her, noticing her muggle clothes and bewildered looking parents, a way away, talking to another couple. He interrupted her, swore at her, and pushed her down.  
  
Draco sighed, she was only going to ask a question, dammit...why was he always so cold?  
  
Draco played back every terrible thing he had done to Hermione between the Diagon Alley incident and just the other day in Dumbledore's office. Although he had only mentally betrayed her, he regretted it more than anything else. Every memory was like a pinprick in his spine, and Draco could imagine it was ten times worse for her.  
  
**If I had only known she already had it so bad I would never have....oh, who am I kidding? Of course I would have. Why was I such an ignorant ass? It's no wonder Crabbe and Goyle were my only 'friends', and that too was Lucius' doing. This is his fault, all of it...why did he have to make my life a living hell? Make me cold and cynical? **  
  
Sighing, Draco grabbed his books and made his way to his room, much as Hermione had done about a half an hour ago. He lay down on his bed, closing his eyes. Despite the fact that it was only nine, he fell asleep...still clad in his robes.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was about three hours after falling asleep that Draco woke. He woke with a start, but had no idea why, and had a strange feeling in his stomach. **Is it a premonition? ** He asked himself, and remembered that he had often gotten them when his father was alive, always when someone he knew well was about to be hurt. The person was typically his mother, and almost always by his father. He hadn't felt this feeling since his father's death, but he was almost certain there was something wrong. ** Hermione... **  
  
He leaped out of bed, practically falling over the various items strewn about the floor. He opened the door to the common room and peered out. His eyes eagerly scanned the room, but he saw nothing, no one was there nor in the open bathroom. His thoughts settled on the safety of Hermione, he had to check on her. Draco took the needed steps away from his own room and found himself in front of her door.  
  
His hand immediately graced her doorknob and turned. ** Locked, perfect. **  
  
Draco was about to give up; how could he check on her with the door locked? At least that meant no one could get in. Draco couldn't allow himself to give up, he had to see her. He tired to think of another way into the room, and briefly thought of the balcony door.  
  
Draco literally slapped himself in the forehead. The window... ** Hermione leaves the bed drapes open! ** From the balcony, he wouldn't even need to enter her room, which he was glad for. He loved her, and didn't want to violate her privacy unless absolutely necessary. Without further hesitation, he took a quiet run through his room and out onto the balcony, eyes fixed on Hermione's window, not even bothering to close the door behind him.  
  
Draco hadn't noticed how incredibly cold it was outside at this time of night in November, or the icy cold ledge, despite the wearing off warming charm.  
  
A thin frost had covered her window, shielding her bed from his view. Draco wiped away the cool white perspiration and peered into the window. What he saw made his heart skip a beat.  
  
Hermione's bed was empty.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I know it's short, but it just seemed right to stop it there, HAHA!!!!  
  
PRF:  
  
Beth - I certainly do! Haha and I love the corny of a love story just as much!  
  
Silverdragon- You know I love them, haha....  
  
MysticMoon - Of COURSE there's conflict. If there wasn't conflict, no one would read the story!! I don't know what I'm doing with the feather, it just kinda popped out of my head, and I'm thinking of a way to work it into the actual story somehow....I dunno, his dad DID have a lot of money, maybe he paid his way into Head Boy....but I don't think that's how I want it. He's just really smart and doesn't tell anyone. Yeah, that's better.  
  
Avi - Yes Hermione does cry a lot, but as you can see, there was a reason for her infernal waterworks. Haha, and...Yes there is more of an edge coming soon, unless you count this as being one....haha.  
  
ChaoticSlytherin-Haha, this is true. OOC = Love. Haha.... yes, there WAS a reason for her crying, see? I'm not all mushy for no reason.... ;o) I love corny too; it's the way I am I suppose. Ron's gonna be pissed off, but I'm thinking he'll come around. Or something will happen that explains it. Harry will be more understanding. Ron rules though, he's the token kid with the funny lines. There's the protagonist (Harry) the antagonist (Draco/Voldemort) the female element (Hermione) and the token kid with the funny lines. Haha, I'm talking general HP, not my fic.  
  
Anonymous - Thanx, but put in some sort of name next time! I wanna thank you semi-personally!  
  
Guardian Angel Demon - I know...Draco is HOTT! I want Tom Felton tied to my bedpost, RIGHT NOW! Haha, I'm creating an ideal yet unattainable guy in my head, and I'm never going to find him...I'm setting myself up for failure....oh no! Anyway, you think something is missing? I didn't get that vibe, but if you think of something to make it better, I'm open for suggestions! Haha.... I 3 Tom Felton.  
  
Shoroni - Thanx. 


	8. Simon

A/N: I left you with a cliffy last time! Mwa ha ha ha ha! Well, anyway....hopefully this one wont be out too long after the last one, it depends on how long it takes to get through my minions. Hi guys! Sorry I posted before I got your review Elle, but it's been like a week since I sent you the chapter. I'll still take ideas though, I can always fix it and switch them, it's not that hard.  
  
TITLE: No, there are no new characters. Listen to the first verse to the song Simon by Lifehouse... I think it relates to the way Hermione's explains her chronic library inhabitance. t lk it quite well-ly relates to the way Hermione'lly have a few events in each one, and tend to center upon one of the non-m  
  
Disclaimer: I'm a writer, not an idea machine! Just because I'm not creative enough to think up my own characters and write about them, doesn't mean that I can't alter someone else's characters without their consent and use them! Geez, Rowling...lay off.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT: Simon  
  
Draco was terrified. He could honestly say he had never been so scared in his life. Not even his father, or any of his father's associates, had ever frightened him like this.  
  
As if he had seen a ghost, Draco backed away from the window. Terrible thoughts were racing through his mind and he wasn't paying any attention to his movement. He bumped into one of the chairs and Draco heard a soft moan followed by a thud. He spun around, eyes wide with terror.  
  
Draco was so relieved at what he saw, he had to grasp the chair for support. There, curled up in the chair he had jolted, was a sleeping Hermione Granger. Draco felt his heart beat slow as the blood rushed to his temples. He walked to the front of the chair, eyes locked on the sleeping girl. Draco reached a shaking hand and placed it delicately on Hermione's cheek. He felt how cold her skin was and noticed her shivering. ** How can she sleep through that? ** he wondered vaguely, still overwhelmed at the sight of her. Draco crouched down and wrapped an arm around her gently, placing his cheek against hers. He felt a tear or two silently slide down his skin, but paid them no mind.  
  
"Don't ever do that to me again, Hermione." he paused and squeezed her a bit harder, "I don't know if I could make it through that a second time," he whispered to his unconscious love. Draco stayed that way until his feet became unbearably cold, and imagined how Hermione must be feeling. ** How long have you been out here? **  
  
He opened his eyes and stood. Draco noted the book, open on the ground, and placed it as the culprit of the previously unidentified sound he had heard earlier. He picked it up and tucked it into his pocket before bending to take the sleeping Hermione into his arms. He thought about taking her back to her own bed, but quickly decided against it.  
  
Not only did Draco not really want to go into her room, even for a few minutes, without her permission, he didn't want to leave her. After believing he had almost lost her, Draco was not ready to part ways.  
  
He picked up the sleeping Head Girl and headed for his room. Walking over to the open bed, he laid her there, covered her, and went back to close the balcony door.  
  
Draco hesitated before crawling into bed next to her. ** What's she gonna think when she wakes up next to me? ** He sighed, ** She did say that she loved me, so she shouldn't be too angry.... ** Pondering this for only moments more, Draco decided it was ok (mostly because he wanted to be as close to her as possible), but he would stay on the bed while she was in it, this way giving her a little more privacy.  
  
Draco grabbed a nearby throw; deep green suede, plush with silver tassels, and slowly proceeded to get onto his bed, next to Hermione. He tried to move as little and as slowly as possible, so as not to alert his sleeping love. He struggled into a slightly reclined sitting position, then looked over to the angelic girl who occupied his bed, and mind. Draco knew sleep was far off for him, if it ever would return that night. He stayed that way for nearly an hour, listening to her breathe and watching her sleep, before she stirred.  
  
Hermione brought her knees closer to her chest, and then pushed slightly away, unknowingly sliding into Draco's lap. He was startled a little, but remembered she was asleep.  
  
"Irresistible to even the unconscious, am I?" He whispered to her with a smirk. Draco kept his eyes on Hermione, glad she was there. He began to stroke her hair, and smiled as he watched her sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione woke, and was surprised to find it still dark. She blinked her eyes, trying to focus. Then gasped, ** Where am I? ** She lifted her head and looked around. The room looked eerily familiar, yet she still had no idea where she was. Hermione almost panicked as she realized she was laying on someone, and a warm hand rested on her back. She immediately snapped her head up to the face of her bedmate and felt a wave of sweet relief to see Draco's sleeping head flopped down above her.  
  
Finally feeling close to normal, Hermione began to contemplate her current situation. Firstly, where was she? That was easy; she was in Draco's room, of course. Almost identical to her own, other than the lack of a vanity and the addition of piles of debris that littered his floor, it was obvious. Next question, what was she doing in bed with him, and how did she get there? Hermione couldn't answer that one and moved on to the third question that plagued her: What had happened, and why couldn't she remember it?  
  
She briefly wondered if Draco had done something and possibly placed a memory charm on her afterward, but quickly dismissed it. He would never do that. Hermione felt safe with him, and stopped trying to answer unanswerable questions. She looked around and saw an alarm on the bed table next to her. She read the blue digital numbers then asked herself, confused; ** 845? Then why is it still dark? ** Hermione looked to the window.  
  
Draco too had left his bed curtains opened, but both sides were crumpled into the corners. His window, however, was shut, and the drapes were drawn. ** That's why. ** She thought and rested her head back on Draco's lap. ** This wasn't so bad... almost nice, despite how it looks. ** She was sure there was an explanation for this, and she would ask Draco for it when he woke.  
  
Not wanting to leave him, Hermione settled herself back into his lap and closed her eyes. She could at least stay until he woke, then they could talk, and it would be over. For now, Hermione concentrated on her current state, each minute growing to enjoy it more and more until she wanted nothing else but to stay like this forever.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco woke not long after Hermione. He had a hell of a crick in his neck, but paid only very little attention to it. He looked down at the sleeping girl that occupied his dormitory. ** She really is pretty when she sleeps, ** he smiled. Draco believed this to be the best thing he had ever woken up to. He began to stroke Hermione's hair, and to his surprise, her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Draco?"  
  
He panicked. What was she going to say when she realized where she was?  
  
"H-Hermione? You're awake?" he asked. She stirred and pushed herself up, sitting sideways next to him. He waited for her to say something, not noticing the calmness of her eyes, which were not at all surprised. Hermione looked at him, and when she realized he was waiting for her to speak, decided on an unavoidable question.  
  
"What happened?" She asked calmly, and he felt relieved that she was not angry or suspicious.  
  
"It's a rather long story..."  
  
"I've got time." She smiled. He took a deep breath.  
  
"Well, before my father died, I used to get these...premonitions, so-to- speak. It's just a feeling...they always mean something bad is going to happen, and I haven't had one since his death." Hermione listened intently, not knowing where this was going. Draco looked at her, and by the way he did, she knew this was important. "I got one last night, Hermione. I went to go check on you, just to make sure you were alright. You weren't in the common room, and the door to your room was locked...so I went out on the balcony to look through the window. Please don't be mad at me, Hermione. I care about you, a lot, and I had to make sure you were alright." Draco stopped. Hermione's eyes were filling with tears; ** He does care. ** She hugged him.  
  
"Of course I'm not mad at you Draco." She paused, and then pulled away, looking at him. "But that still doesn't explain how I got here..."  
  
"Well," he continued, "your bed curtains were open, and you weren't there. I panicked, Hermione. I've never been so bloody scared in my life. I suppose I backed away from the window, because I bumped into the chair you were asleep in "he sighed, "I was so relieved. I would have brought you back into your room, but I couldn't, Hermione. I couldn't leave you after that....and I brought you in here." He paused briefly, then looked at her. "But I swear nothing happened."  
  
She nodded, tears rolling silently down her cheeks. Draco looked at her, a little worried. He reached out to her and held her close to him.  
  
"Dammit, Hermione...why do you have to be so emotional?" he asked playfully. Then, when she didn't stop; "Please don't cry, Hermione...I hate it when you cry." She held him closer to her.  
  
"Sorry" she whispered, and tried to stop the tears.  
  
"So you're not angry with me?"  
  
"Never." She said without hesitation. Draco smiled, he was glad for that.  
  
"I love you," he whispered. Hermione brought her head up and looked into his silver-grey eyes. The genuine love she saw there made her want to attack him with her kiss. Unlike the last time she had felt that way, Hermione acted on it. She pushed her head up, lips meeting his rather firmly. Draco was startled, not expecting that. He settled down quickly, and began to kiss her back.  
  
The kiss was uncontrollable, the passion behind it only serving to force them deeper. Draco held Hermione's head while her hands pressed on his back. It went no farther than the kiss however, and when they broke away, neither wanted it to end. They looked at each other for a moment, then Draco smirked. Hermione knew that smirk, and knew there was another famous "Draco Malfoy Moment" coming on.  
  
"Well! If that's what I get when I wake up in the morning, maybe I should let you sleep here every night." Now it was Hermione's turn to smirk.  
  
"Why not?" she said. He smiled. Draco didn't know if she was serious about the offer, but it didn't matter. She was here now.  
  
As if someone (who didn't particularly like either of them) was listening and waiting for their cue, they were interrupted by a tapping at the window. Hermione turned to see nothing; the curtains were drawn. She looked back to Draco, who looked more than a little pissed off.  
  
"I'll get it," she said, climbing out of bed. She opened the drapes and was surprised to see a large snowy owl. "Hedwig?" she asked and opened the window to let the bird in. Without another word, Hermione took the note from Hedwig and began to read, her back turned to Draco. He couldn't read her face and didn't know what she was thinking. Draco got out of bed and walked to her. From behind, he put his arms around her waist and laid his head sideways on the back of her neck, facing away from the letter. He didn't want to read it unless she asked him to.  
  
"We're lucky that bird can't talk," he stated, absent-mindedly. Hermione stopped reading and looked up.  
  
"What? Why?" she asked, confused.  
  
"He'd tell Potter, of course." Hermione looked at his hands around her waist. ** Ironic. **  
  
"It wouldn't make a difference, they already know. Ron too." Draco let go of her and stepped around so that he was in front of her. "Or so they think."  
  
"I thought you hadn't written them yet."  
  
"I didn't," she sighed, "they've been spying on me. They think you're stalking me or something." She looked away from him, closing her eyes. He was shocked, more so than her.  
  
"Spying on you? I can't believed they'd do that....I thought they were you're friends!" He mentally slapped himself, ** that's gonna make her feel much better about being violated by possibly the only people she trusts....why am I so inconsiderate? **  
  
"I thought so too."  
  
"But how? They're not allowed on school grounds..."  
  
"The Marauder's Map, I'm assuming. Long story, but basically it's this piece of parchment that belonged to Harry's dad when he went to school here. When activated, it shows the placement of each person in Hogwarts. They must have seen us in here, damn them. This is NOT how I wanted them to find out...I'm just so mad! What would posses them to do that, don't they trust me?" Draco said nothing for a moment. She was pretty when she was angry.  
  
"And they wrote to tell you to stay away from me?" he asked. She shook her head and thrust the note to him.  
  
"Not exactly." Draco slowly opened the note and began to read.  
  
"Dear Hermione,  
  
What's going on? We know you spent last night in Malfoy's room, did he drag you in there? He didn't hurt you did he? If he did, I swear we'll kill him. Please write back, Hermione, we worry. We're sorry we were spying on you, but we just wanted to ensure your safety.  
  
Harry and Ron"  
  
** Whoa, that's rather creepy, for lack of a better word. ** Draco looked back to Hermione. She was looking blankly out the window, and he felt remorse bubble inside him. ** This is what she has to deal with? This is what her FRIENDS are like? And then there was me, constantly making her life hell...how did she stand it? ** Draco admired her. She had a terrible social life, and yet kept it secret. He doubted if even her fellow Gryffindor girls knew how she felt, and that made him feel even worse.  
  
**No wonder she's always stuck in a book, fairytale creatures don't criticize you, or degrade you and your family. Books don't overpower you and make your life hell... **  
  
Draco, only a few inches from her, embraced Hermione. She was a bit startled, and bewildered. Draco repeated quietly into her ear,  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"For what, Draco? What's wrong?"  
  
"For everything... I never knew you had it so bad, Hermione. My maliciousness toward you combined with an overbearing Potter and Weasley? How did you make it through seven years of such torture?" He was holding her to him tightly, but she didn't mind. She felt warm and safe in his arms. She pulled back only enough to look at him, but he was still holding her body close to his.  
  
"Honestly? Every time I felt really angry or unloved...I'd go to the library. Haha, I know, but it made sense. I rarely saw you there, and when I did you never stayed long. Harry and Ron never felt the need to go other than the few times I dragged them, they had their own private library....in me. Whenever they had a question or needed information it was always followed by a 'Let's go ask Hermione.'" She paused, "But it wasn't seven years, not really. Most of first year you ignored me, Ron thought I was horrible in the very beginning, and Harry usually went along with Ron, although he was more accepting and occasionally stood up for me. By second year you had taken more notice of me, and Harry, Ron, and I were friends, and toward the middle they had started to become the way they are now. After that whole being petrified thing, they got much worse. Third and Forth year were pretty rough, but fifth and sixth year you were no longer....you. They were still them, but you lifted my burden a little."  
  
"I didn't stop being me, Hermione. I started being me." He smiled, as did she. Then he frowned. Feeling a 'what?' coming on from her, he spoke before Hermione had a chance. "I never knew about that, Hermione. I wish I could tell you that if I did I would have changed it, but I think we both know that isn't true." She looked down, he paused, "but I would change it all now if I could..." He brushed his cheek against hers affectionately, "That wasn't me, Hermione. You have to believe that. This is me. That was the spawn of Satan." Slight pause, then: "not far off, actually." He laughed; she smiled and looked up at him. He kissed her, not a deep kiss, but a kiss filled with lust. She kissed him back.  
  
A/N: Haha, that was a very uneventful chapter, now, wasn't it? Oh well, at least it wasn't a cliff hanger.....or was it???  
  
PRF:  
  
Hasapi - THANX! And, because I knew no one would like it, lol  
  
Rachel - Thanx, I try to have cute little corny endings....or cliffhangers, one of the two ;o)  
  
Little Witch - Here ya go! Not so soon, but I try.... hehe  
  
Beth - You know I'm good for them corny posts......don't we ALL wonder where she went? Well, now you know.... hehe 


	9. The Letter

A/N: Let me know if this is a little messed up or not, I did the letter to the end and then went back and did the whole right after the kiss thing....I don't know, I think it's ok, but it might not be....eep. And another thing....I am tired of always trying to think up a witty disclaimer. However, I hate those people who are like "These characters and scenarios do not belong to me. Thank you." Hey, wait a minute.....  
  
Disclaimer: These characters and scenarios do not belong to me. Thank you.  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER NINE: The Letter.  
  
When they broke apart, Hermione hesitated before opening her eyes, as if to savor the kiss. She fluttered them open and looked at Draco. He was smiling.  
  
"What?" she asked him, suspicious.  
  
"You look really cute like that." He said and she blushed. She gave him another kiss, so quick he hardly had a chance to kiss her back. She broke away from him and walked toward the door. Draco reached out as if to stop her, mouth about to speak, when she looked back to him over her shoulder. He sighed, it was no use. ** Did I expect her to stay all day? ** He let her leave.  
  
Draco turned back to the window and was surprised to see Hedwig, wide-eyed and beak open.  
  
"You're not stupid, are you? You know what's going on. I don't care what Hermione says...well I do, but I think she's wrong. It IS a good thing you can't talk." Hedwig clicked angrily and Draco and he chuckled. "Okay, okay I guess she doesn't have a note for you, but..." he paused, then picked up and opened a small can that was on the table near the window. Owlnip. "You can have these." He said, holding out a small pile to the owl.  
  
Hedwig looked at it suspiciously, then back to Draco. "Oh, come on! I'd eat some first, but I'm not really into owl food." Hedwig ate the treats, a bit hesitant at first. "There you go, I'm not so bad now, am I? Haha. You can stay if you want, but it could be a while before Hermione writes a letter. Why don't you just go back home." Hedwig clicked in response and flew back through the window.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco heard a blood curdling scream.  
  
"Hermione!?" he yelled and ran toward the door. He flung it open and skidded out, looking in the direction of Hermione's room. He saw her there, ghost white and shaking. She had her hands covering her mouth and was backing away from the door. Draco ran to her and held her arms protectively.  
  
"Hermione, what is it?" She said nothing, but pointed a shaking arm toward the open doorway. He turned his gaze to her room, eyes following the straight path of her arm, and what Draco saw made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.  
  
The bed had been shredded, the stuffing spread across the floor in cloud- like globs. Most of Hermione's possessions, as well as most of the furniture and other accents, were destroyed, scattered about the room. Everything was covered in a clotty red substance; which Hermione had assumed was blood, but Draco knew wasn't. Messages were written in the substance, on the walls, but the letters did not form words. 'yekehtrofkcabeblliwew' covered all four of them. Draco turned back to Hermione, who was shaking violently. He realized this and looked instantly disturbed by it.  
  
"Whoa, whoa....it's okay, calm down Hermione," he said as he embraced her. She put her head on his chest and hugged him hard. Draco rubbed her back comfortingly until she let go. He was glad to see that she looked much better. "Alright?" he asked and she nodded.  
  
Draco let go of her and turned back to the room. He took a step toward it, but stopped when Hermione grabbed his hand. "It's alright." He said, but she didn't look convinced. He sighed, "Okay, stay here. I'll be right back." He turned back to his room and walked to the door, ignoring the pleading look on her face. He entered the room, exiting again before the door could close itself. He held up his wand for her to see, as if asking for approval.  
  
It didn't matter that she didn't give it to him; Draco went straight into her room. Surprisingly, Hermione followed, staying close behind him. Draco surveyed the room carefully, walking through and jostling things. He turned to Hermione.  
  
"I don't think there's anything here..." he looked around again, "Do you want me to clean it up or..." She nodded and cut him off.  
  
"Please, and could you start with the blood?" she said, a bit high pitched.  
  
"It's not blood; it's too bright a red for blood." She sighed heavily.  
  
"Thank god...but it's still rather creepy."  
  
"Right then. I can't get rid of it, but I can cover it up..." He finished with a flick from his wand. The walls were instantly back to their white, gold-flecked color.  
  
"Okay," Hermione breathed, "I'm better now. Could you find my wand? I'll help you clean up the rest..."  
  
"Accio wand," he said and caught Hermione's wand as it flew toward him. He handed it to her, "Looks alright, probably the only thing not broken." ** How can he be so calm? ** Hermione thought as she began to fix things, reverse messes, and put various items away. Draco too had begun cleaning. They were silent for a while, then Draco spoke.  
  
"Hey, Hermione....what's this?" he asked holding up a strange object.  
  
"I don't know; it's not mine." She moved closer to him and Draco picked up the small wooden intruder.  
  
The object looked very old. It was a light brown wooden rod, longer and wider than a wand, and was intricately carved. At the tip was an owl, its beak open and its feathers on end. Below this, three symbols. The first was what looked like a hypnotist spiral, and endless round swirl. Under this was a detailed sun, flaming at the center. At the bottom was a series of curls followed only by a section of smooth wood to be used as a handle. Hermione noticed, as did Draco, that the handle had a large chunk missing, but neither commented.  
  
Draco tucked his wand under his arm and cradled the new found treasure in his hands. Hermione reached out to gingerly touch the center symbol, and retracted her finger quickly.  
  
"What?" Draco asked, worried but curious.  
  
"It burned me," she said, holding up a sore red finger to him. Draco grasped the thing by the handle, which he presumed was safe, and placed it on a cleaned area of the floor as if it were sacred.  
  
"Best we leave that alone until we find out what it is," he said and she nodded, sucking lightly on her finger. He stepped toward her, "Are you okay?" She nodded, and showed him her finger again. He pointed his wand at it and voiced a simple spell.  
  
"Thanks, I hadn't even thought of that." He smiled and kissed her cheek lightly before continuing to clean the room. It only took the pair about fifteen minutes to fix and clean everything, and when they finished the room looked almost exactly the same, save the unknown object that occupied a section of the carpeting.  
  
"Thank you for helping me clean up, Draco. I'm glad you were here."  
  
"Hell, I'm glad you weren't here," he said, coming up behind her and placing his hands in front of her waist as he had done earlier. "Can you imagine what could have happened if you had slept here last night?"  
  
"I know..." she said quietly and shuddered. "But I didn't, thanks to you. It's a good thing you're psychic, because I suck at divination," she said, enjoying his closeness to her.  
  
"That had nothing to do with this, it was a coincidence... I cannot be premonishing again, I just can't." He tightened his hold on her, and she was a little afraid for him.  
  
"Draco, what is it?"  
  
"It's terrible, Hermione. It's not just waking up with that feeling...eventually there are dreams, and they show everything very graphically. They repeat in my head months after the event occurs... but that's not the worst of it. When I was seven my mother was involved in a car accident. It was late, and I had gone to bed long before she was scheduled to come home. My father found me in the garage the next morning, lying spread-eagle with like a circle of old keys and my mother's jewelry around me. That was the only time anything like that has ever happened, but I've never seen anything as life threatening in a premonition as that either. Everything stopped when my father died, Hermione...and I do not want it to come back."  
  
"Oh Draco...." for a moment she couldn't say anything more, but she began to get over the shock, and the words formed. "I'm sorry you had to go through that...and I don't want you to have to go through it again anymore than you do, but this is a pretty big coincidence."  
  
"I know; I just don't want to believe that that's what it is...." Hermione really did feel for him. He was shaking, and they were rocking back and forth. She decided a change in subject may be best.  
  
"Draco, what do you think we should do about that thing?" Hermione felt Draco relax intensely against her. She noticed him breathe on her cheek and Hermione wondered if he had breathing at all since he had stopped talking.  
  
"I don't know, but I think we should try to figure it out ourselves before we tell Dumbledore. I've noticed things don't seem to go as well when he knows about them." She nodded in agreement. Hermione would have nodded no matter what he had said, she had never seen him act this way...and it scared her.  
  
Hermione turned around in Draco's arms to face him. She placed her hands on his chest, liking the warm feeling he gave her. She took a deep breath, not wanting to ask this.  
  
"Draco?" she whispered, "What if you are premonishing again? What do you think it means?" she finished timidly. Feeling him tense, she panicked. "Oh, god I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it; I don't know why I asked, I..."  
  
"Hermione, it's ok, really..."  
  
"No, Draco. I know this is hard for you, I'm so inconsiderate...we can talk about something else....let's see, um....the test! We can talk about the test, let's talk about the test. How is your studying? Have you memorized all the tables for potions? What about the SMCP tables? I can never remember number 53, what is number 53?" She said as if it were one long sentence.  
  
"Lacewigs, but Hermione..." she cut him off and continued.  
  
"And what about 79, is it lily-sprout or lily-leaves?"  
  
She never got her answer. Draco decided the only way to stop her hysterical rambling was to kiss her, and that's what he did. He only did so long enough for Hermione to settle in for another of their long kisses, which she did, and cut her off abruptly to speak before she could.  
  
"It's okay, Hermione, honestly. I don't know what it means, but it can't be anything good. I hope I'm overreacting and it was just a one time thing, but I don't think it is. I'm just glad I was lucky enough to have the first one."  
  
"Never leave me, Draco..." she whispered as she looked into his eyes.  
  
"Never, Hermione...never."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione sat at her desk, quill in hand, empty parchment staring back at her. She took a breath and began to write. She was angry with Harry and Ron, but she wanted to tell them everything.  
  
"Harry and Ron,  
  
First of all, how dare you? I thought you were my friends, and you betray me like this? I can't believe you! I'm assuming you used the marauder's map, correct? At least you didn't lie to a damn piece of parchment. How long has this been going on? Was this the only time, or has it been longer? Since September, or has it been years? You tell me, how long have you been violating me? And is the map the only way? Do you come flying to the window under that bloody invisibility cloak and spy? Watch me dress even? How am I to know?  
  
I am incredibly angry with and disappointed in both of you. I am taking this opportunity to vent and let you know of some feelings that have been plaguing me. Firstly, why can't you just back the fuck off!? Since at least third year you guys have treated me more like a volume of infinite knowledge than a friend. Merlin forbid we let encyclopedia Hermione have a life, she might realize what assholes we are and get real friends. Well I'm sick of it! All you've ever done is taken me for granted, and I don't want to play this game anymore.  
  
I do appreciate your 'concern', however. Although I know it's not concern for my well being as much as it is concern that I might wise up to you and gain a little power. Draco has done absolutely nothing to me, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around falsely accusing him of things he would never do. Neither of you know the least bit about him, or me for that matter. He means a lot to me, and he treats me like a person, which is more than I can say for either of you. Realistically, I have been neglecting to inform you of our situation. I love him. He loves me. I hate both of you. When I'm around Draco, I can be myself, I don't have to be afraid that what I say might not be up to his standards, and I don't feel like I need to impress him. The opposite of all said characteristics apply to you jerks. Our entire friendship has revolved around the superior males. You treat me like dirt, so eat it. I don't care what you think anymore. Draco makes me happy, and if you were really my friends, you'd understand that, but I'm not holding my breath for your blessings.  
  
You should be thanking him, actually. He cares about me, and he knows that you are a big part of my life. If Draco had not convinced me that you were my friends, although not very good ones, and deserved to know about this, you probably wouldn't have received this letter. And mark my words, if you so much as attempt to harm him, I swear you won't live long enough to attempt it again. Don't kid yourselves, you know I'm capable of it, and the way I'm feeling right now, I could come near me. I thought I knew you, but I have no idea who either of you are. You don't know me, and I don't know you. You are strangers to me, and I'd be obliged if you never attempted to contact me in anyway ever again.  
  
Granger."  
  
She finished the letter and dropped the quill from her shaking hand. She was breathing hard, and there were tears streaming down her face. She couldn't believe she had written it, and she didn't know if she could send it or not. No, she couldn't but it was a positive vent. She took a couple of deep breaths and regained her composure.  
  
Hermione read over the letter, intending on checking it for mistakes, but she got back into it. By the end she was furious. They had violated, neglected, and betrayed her. As if that wasn't enough, they had also falsely accused and threatened Draco. She was going to send it, she had to.  
  
She couldn't. There was no way. The fact that she felt that the reason she couldn't send it was because it would betray them made her more furious. She gathered the pages, rolled them into a tube, and tied it with a piece of brown cord. Hermione then took another piece of parchment, and wrote another note.  
  
"Draco,  
  
I need you to send this to Ron for me. I told them everything, with the exception of this morning. I wrote about us, how I feel about them, and yelled at them for violating me and falsely accusing you....everything. I can't bring myself to send it, but I want it to be sent, it has to be. Everything will change after this, but I'm willing. Thank you. I'm glad you're here for me Draco; I don't know how I could get through this without you.  
  
Love always, Hermione."  
  
Hermione placed the roll and note on Draco's desk. Knowing he would go there to take notes this evening, she stood and slowly returned to her room, leaving her friends behind.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco was in the library, frantically searching for any information on the strange article they had found in Hermione's room. He had been searching for hours and had found no trace of anything remotely similar to it. He was getting panicky. They would have to tell Dumbledore if they couldn't figure it out themselves, and Draco dreaded it. He had no problem with Dumbledore and looked up to him in a way, but telling him was like giving up, and he was not a quitter.  
  
He sighed. There was nothing, no where. They would have to tell the old man. He stood intent on informing Hermione of this, when his eyes caught something. Draco stepped to the bookcase next to him and proceeded to extract the very last book on the very last shelf. ** It's always in the last place you look.... ** the book was brown and dusty, and looked like many of the other books found in the Hogwarts library.  
  
Draco had no idea why the book had caught his attention, but he knew he had to read it. He opened the book, not bothering to sit down, and was surprised to see that it was filled with detailed photographs. Draco began flipping through the pages, a bland and hopeless look on his face.  
  
Suddenly, his pupils grew wide and a surprised look of horror shown on his face. ** Oh no, this is far worse than I had hoped... **  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione had left her desk and proceeded to the door of her dormitory when she hesitated. She was scared to death of that room, and never wanted to enter it again. She retracted the hand that had been reaching for the knob and backed away as if the door were hot. Hermione then headed for Draco's room and opened the door slowly, although she knew he was not there. She entered, not really knowing why. The strong presence of Draco that filled his room was comforting to her.  
  
She noticed a book lying on the floor, partially covered with various debris. She picked it up and read the title: 1001 Objects and Symbols Associated with the Dark Arts. ** This would be a rather good place to start, I believe. **  
  
She contemplated whether or not to stay in Draco's room; she didn't want to leave, she fell safe in here, yet she thought it better not to stay in someone else's room without them knowing about it. Hermione left Draco's room and entered the common room. She sat on the deep red sofa that faced the fire and began to read.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco exited the library carrying nothing more than the one inconspicuous brown book. He made his way quickly back to the Head Dormitories, planning on immediately telling Hermione about what he had found out. He entered quietly, not wanting to scare her if she happened to be in the common room. He saw her on the sofa and smiled affectionately as he shook his head. ** Half the time she spends 'reading' is actually time spent sleeping....yet she is still far more intelligent than me... **  
  
Draco thought about waking her as he headed for his desk to gather parchment and quills to begin notes. He noticed the note from her and read it to himself, then sighed. ** She has been through a lot of shit today, this can wait ten minutes. ** He set the book down and picked up the roll of parchment.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco made his way to and from the owlry directly. It was an uneventful trip, and he had spent the entire seven minutes thinking about Hermione. He had not read her letter to Harry and Ron, but he knew she was telling him the truth about what it contained. He was proud of her. She had spent so long doing the opposite of telling them how she felt and now she had finally done it. He frowned. Draco had inspired her to do so, but, hypocritically, had never done so himself. He had never told his father how he had made him feel, and now he never would. He suspected that his father already knew, but it would have felt so good to tell him off. He sighed; at least he had convinced Hermione to do so.  
  
Draco returned to see that Hermione was no longer sleeping, but now energetically scanning the pages of a book. She looked up at him and smiled brightly. He smirked his famous "Draco Malfoy Smirk" and followed it with a classic smart ass comment.  
  
"Good morning, sunshine. Why are we so happy?" he asked her innocently.  
  
"I think I'm on the verge of figuring this out," Hermione answered. Draco's smile became a frown and his face looked grave as he remembered the dusty brown book.  
  
"So am I," he said, "but I don't think it's cause for excessive happiness." Hermione's smiled also dwindled, her energy gone. She looked emotionless.  
  
"Well," she said, "what did you find?" Draco turned toward the desk and retrieved the book he had placed there. He then returned to Hermione and sat beside her on the couch. Not speaking, he flipped through the pages of the book. Draco stopped at the page he was looking for and held it up for her to see.  
  
"It's a Tetrabric Staff," he said, and surprisingly Hermione smiled.  
  
"That's what I was thinking." Draco looked confused, and she began to explain her theory. "Look," she showed him her book, "This is a Plantron Staff. The Tetrabric Staff, I don't know if you knew, can be used to reverse any and all curses, with the exception of the unforgivable curses, of course. The Plantron Staff is almost the opposite. It is used to perform any curse, including the unforgivables, flawlessly and with tremendous power. The staffs are like good and evil, and balance each other out. We have good on our side."  
  
"That's not good, Hermione, not at all." She looked at him, not understanding.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Our staff may be the good staff, but neither staff can be used unless in direct connection with the other."  
  
"That's even better; the one who holds the lone Plantron can not use it."  
  
"That is true, but someone left that Tetrabric in there on purpose, and I'm guessing whoever it was is trying to set us up. Hermione, this is a listing and description catalogue of all dark things collected by the ministry over the last six centuries, and who each item was collected from." He said gesturing to the book. "The staff pictured was collected from Gwendolen Ruthford Riddle." Hermione gasped and Draco nodded, frowning. "Voldemort's mother. Look closely, see how a chip is missing...there." he said, pointing to the picture. She nodded and spoke the words Draco was about to speak.  
  
"The same chip as the one that was left here. It's the same staff." He nodded. She looked at him, "but why would someone destroy the room and then leave us a stolen artifact?"  
  
"Maybe they were looking for something?" he suggested.  
  
"Well, I don't know what I have, or had, that they would what so badly," she replied  
  
"Maybe it wasn't something of yours, maybe it was something of you room's." She looked scared at this statement, but remained calm.  
  
"Do you think there might be something in there? Where could it be that they didn't look?" She said, a little scared.  
  
"I don't know, Hermione. I may be way off track on this theory; it could be totally untrue." He paused, "More than likely, it's a trap. Someone may have stolen the staff from the ministry and planted it here to frame us, but that seems unlikely."  
  
"Yes. It's more probably that it was already stolen from the ministry and a second thief stole it from the original. It could have gone through hundreds of hands. The last to have it may have left it here to frame us, but not for the ministry, for one of the previous owners." She added.  
  
"Exactly what I was thinking. But, If they were going to frame us, why would they leave it in plain sight and not hide it somewhere? There has to be more to it than that."  
  
"I agree, but I have no idea what." She frowned.  
  
"Neither do I, I'm tapped," he paused, then said: "I'm glad you didn't tell your friends about this, Hermione. I don't know what's going on, and I don't expect they would know any more than we do..." he looked away, "Plus they'd probably suspect me. There are two of them...if they caught us off guard they could bind you and hex me before we could react."  
  
Hermione's first thought was that Draco had read her letter and she was hurt. She tried to tell herself Draco wouldn't do that, and that there had to be another explanation, but she needed convincing.  
  
"How do you know I didn't tell them?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Your note... you left me a note on the desk, remember?" he paused, "You DIDN'T tell them, right?" Hermione suddenly remember the note and felt stupid, ** How could I forget that, I can't believe I thought he would read the letter... **  
  
"No, I didn't tell them. I'm sorry, I forgot about that note.....wait, when did you read it? I've been in here since I wrote it and you've been over here since you came in..."  
  
"Actually, I came in before, but you were asleep. I read the note and then went to the owlry, intent on waking you upon my return and tell you about the staff. Obviously, you were awake when I got back and there was no need for me to do so."  
  
"So you've already sent the letter?"  
  
"Anything for you, Hermione," he said and smiled. Hermione attempted to return it, but her lip quivered, making it evident she was not in the mood for smiling. Draco noticed this and his smile broke. He reached out to her and opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione lifted her hand to stop him before he could.  
  
"Please, Draco...don't. I'm trying not to cry, just..." she stopped there, unable to say anything more without crying.  
  
That stopped Draco cold. He looked at her in disbelief. **I'm just like them....I'm making her feel just like they do...** He embraced her hard.  
  
"Oh god, no Hermione... How could you let me do that to you? You can cry if you want to Hermione, I'm sorry...if you need to, go ahead." She took his advice and bawled into his shoulder. Draco really did hate to see her cry, but he hated making her feel that way even more.  
  
Draco put his discomfort aside and held her. He knew she was okay, and was just going through a lot, and he understood what she was feeling. He rocked her gently, and her sobs died down after only a few minutes. Draco saw now as a good time to further apologize.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione.... I was acting just like them. Why did you let me make you feel that way? Promise me you'll never let me do that again."  
  
"No, Draco...you didn't. I mean... it was different, not like them. I tried to make you happier....with them I was always trying not to get in trouble," she sighed, "It's complicated." He pulled away enough to look at her.  
  
"Hermione, you happy is what makes you happy...and if crying makes you feel better, then you cry. Never let anyone change you, Hermione. I don't want anyone to make you feel as if you need to, and I certainly don't want to be the one doing it either. Please tell me if I ever do that again, I swear I had no idea." She put a hand on his face reassuringly.  
  
"Really, you didn't do anything... stop blaming yourself. I hadn't even made the connection," she sighed, "I know I cry a lot, and I know it makes you uncomfortable, but it's easier than trying to deal with everything at the same time, and I can't help it. I'm sorry..."  
  
"Don't be. I have no right to tell you when you can and cannot express uncontrollable emotion. You can cry whenever you need to Hermione. I'll never ask you to stop again. Hell," He held out his arms to her, "you can cry right now if you want to, I've got all night." She smiled and accepted his embrace, but did not cry. She broke away and looked at him.  
  
"I love you, Draco," she said and he smirked.  
  
"That was really corny, Hermione."  
  
"I know, but I meant it."  
  
A/N the last part may look familiar, but that's because it was used earlier....Chapter Seven, I believe. Hehe. I know they're figuring this whole staff thing out rather quickly, but I'm not exactly sure where it's going yet...and I needed something to fill in the space with. If you thought this was creepy, wait til next chapter, haha.  
  
PRF:  
  
Avi: I totally agree. What is it with the bad boys that make them so damn good? Haha and yes...more action.  
  
Stace: I thought the map idea was pretty good, and it IS original, unlike most of my story, haha...  
  
Caroline: We have something VERY MUCH in common. When Tommy boy Felton gets a couple years older, we are so gonna have to kidnap him. Haha, meet me at fifth and main, planning must begin as soon as possible. We need the Perfect plan for the Perfect guy!  
  
Hasapi: Haha, guess we'll find out sooner or later, won't we?  
  
Nikki: Thanx, and I thought it was pretty good, until I read it. You did actually read it, right? Haha...  
  
Beth: I dunno about that, I was kinda hoping they could get over it by themselves, but I dunno. Fighting is so necessary.  
  
S-Star: Thanx for reading, and I know it's not long. All of the chapters are really short....I'm trying to make them longer, but I usually just end it when it feels right, which could mean problems.  
  
Talleenian w/ Hailey: Thanx, and I try!  
  
Lil-spitfire: I agree with the fluff, it's my favorite part. I love all well written Draco/Hermione romances equally, but mine has some damn good fluff if I do say so myself. ;o)  
  
Silverbunnies: Well, about Draco changing pretty fast....if needed I could just make up something to explain it like: Well, his father sort of had a curse on him, plus his death proved to Draco that he was nothing like his father. I explain about his father's death later, in more detail, and it might provide some sort of explanation as to how that could be true. If you saw that happen, I think you'd hate your father too. I know you're confused, but I don't actually talk about it until like, chapter fifteen. 


	10. Another Pure Repose

A/N: If you thought the last chapter was sweet, wait until you read this baby. Very creepy, I agree. Anyone who is pissed off at where it ended, don't talk to me....talk to Ashlee. This chapter was gonna be like chapter ten and eleven combined, but she said, no...break them up, and try to leave it a cliff hanger. So I did, haha. That is all, thank you. And thanx to my betas....now that it's working, you guys are shelling out chapters as fast as I am! Go you!  
  
Disclaimer: This is the annoying part at the beginning that never ends. It just goes on and on my friends. Some people started writing, not knowing it was here, now they'll continue to creatively jot them for every chapter forever just because, this is the disclaimer cycle, and it never ends.  
  
So what if it doesn't go to the tune? You get the idea.....haha  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TEN: Another Pure Repose  
  
It was about one o'clock the next night, and Hermione was sitting cross- legged on the common room sofa, rocking gently back and forth. Draco was at his desk, facing away from her, studying. She heard him sigh and looked over the back of the couch at him. He dropped his quill and leaned back in his chair. Hermione watched him rub his face wearily and run his fingers through his blonde locks, causing them to fall casually over his face. She smiled, despite her exhaustion.  
  
Draco sighed again and lifted himself heavily from his chair, turning to her but apparently not expecting to see her.  
  
"Hermione?" he said in weary surprise. Then he flashed a smirk before converting his face back to the groggy, 'one AM and no coffee' face. "You should have gone to bed hours ago." Hermione was shocked.  
  
"Are you kidding? I am not going back in there when it's dark, there is no way in hell...." she said, looking toward her door.  
  
"I never said anything about going in there." He smiled and held out his hand to her. She understood immediately, and was overwhelmed with something like relief. Hermione was not looking forward to being anywhere alone tonight. She accepted his hand, and pulled herself up. They stood there quietly for a moment, but then Hermione spoke.  
  
"Are you sure?" she whispered.  
  
"Hermione! Of course I'm sure, I wouldn't leave you alone tonight if you asked me to." He paused slightly, "And do you really think I'd ask you to go in there? Sometimes I wonder if you actually listen when people talk to you," he said, the last statement playfully. Hermione was overwhelmed with happiness and managed to utter a weak 'thank you' before a lone tear slid down her face. She tried to wipe it away before Draco could see, but she wasn't quick enough.  
  
"Now, Hermione...didn't we already have a talk about crying?" She smiled, as did he. "Shall we?" he said, slipping and arm around her waist. She didn't officially answer, but they made their way to the bedroom just the same.  
  
Upon arrival, Draco unattached himself from her and held up a finger.  
  
"I'll be right back." She nodded and Draco proceeded to go into the bathroom. He exited soon after, and made a beeline for his room. The door was already about half way open and Draco opened it entirely, a big grin on his lips with which to greet Hermione. The grin broke into a subtle 'O' of horror as Draco entered his room. It was empty.  
  
"Hermione?!" he was getting panicky. He felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped in reaction.  
  
"What?" she asked, standing behind him. He slouched a little, visibly relieved to see her.  
  
"Oh god, Hermione. You scared the life out of me." Hermione heard correctly, but didn't understand it the way Draco felt it.  
  
"What, I can't even leave the room without permission? NOW you sound like Harry and Ron, Draco." **Ouch** he thought.  
  
"No, Hermione, it's not like that. It's just, I expected to see you here, and upon not I panicked. I'm sorry, but under the circumstances, I think it's understandable." She looked down as she listened, no longer mad at him.  
  
"I know...you're right. You're always right. I'm sorry." Draco didn't know how to answer to that, so he dodged it with another question.  
  
"Why did you go back into the common room anyway?" he asked, walking into the room and sitting on the bed. Hermione smiled and held up a little plastic case, shaped much like an 8. One loop was inscribed with an L, the other an R.  
  
"Contacts," she said plainly. Draco shrugged and watched her walk around to her side of the bed, or so it had become, and sit down.  
  
"You could have summoned them." He said, trying to justify his actions. He watched her remove her visual aid with interest, and a certain amount of disgust.  
  
"I suppose I could have," Hermione said as if she had been proved wrong, but then followed it up with an explanation. "That is, if I hadn't also left my wand out there." She smiled. Draco flashed a weak grin, but it was gone again in no time, replaced by a look of defeat.  
  
Hermione finished removing and tending to her contacts, then crawled into the bed. She situated herself on her side so that she was facing Draco. When he didn't move, she beckoned to him with her finger and purred,  
  
"Well?" mock-seductively, much unlike her. Draco was a bit surprised.  
  
"You want me to get in?" he said, disbelieving. All playing aside, she looked confused.  
  
"Of course," she said, as if it were obvious. Draco shrugged his shoulders, more to himself than to her. **Why fight it? ** he thought and crawled under the blankets with his beautiful brunette.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco lay straight and still in the beginning, not exactly sure what Hermione would allow him to do. He was more nervous about this encounter than she was, and he had been planning this since at least that afternoon.  
  
Hermione noticed this and giggled to herself silently. The unfamiliar situation she found herself presently in brought out something in her. The moment Draco had gotten into the bed; she felt something wild and exhilarating bubble inside her. She smirked seductively to herself.  
  
Draco tensed a little as he felt Hermione stir and move closer to him. When she touched her lips to his, however, he relaxed, and kissed back. Draco wanted to roll her onto her back, become the dominant one, but he wasn't sure exactly how she would react to that. Instead, he put his desires aside and just leaned in, making them equals.  
  
When they broke apart, Hermione was the first to speak.  
  
"Hold me, Draco," she pleaded in a whisper.  
  
"Anything, Hermione." Draco waited for Hermione to position herself on her side, facing away from him. He kissed her tenderly on the shoulder, moving into her neck. Draco then wrapped his arm around her and placed her hand is his. Still kissing her neck softly, he whispered, "Anything."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione woke first and was once again greeted by that sinking feeling and the question, 'Where am I?'. The memories flooded back to her this time, however, and she moaned softly when she remembered the previous morning and afternoon events. Hermione felt an arm slightly tighten around her protectively at the sound, and wondered if Draco was awake, and if so, why? Knowing her, it was somewhere close to eight AM and Draco was never up that early.  
  
"Draco?" she whispered very quietly, not expecting a reply, nor receiving one. She felt his shallow breathing on her neck and smiled. Hermione made herself as aware of him as possible, concentrating on each aspect individually. She focused on his breath first, then his arm around her. He still held her hand in his, and she tightened her grip on his fingers. She moved on next to his well-built chest, feeling it rise and fall against her back.  
  
Hermione loved the way they seemed to fit together. She moved on to his legs now, entangled with her own beneath a Slytherin emblem. A year ago, lying in a bed under these conditions would have made her feel dirty and shameful, but today she couldn't have felt more content with everything. Lying like this with Draco made even matters such as the staff and the letter seem unimportant. Hermione closed her eyes and waited for sleep to overcome her once more.  
  
She was almost asleep when a soft mumbling jolted her back to reality. She realized that it was Draco, and wondered if he was awake, but said nothing. She listened hard for a moment, and realized that Draco was talking in his sleep. That made her smile; there was so much she didn't know about him. Hermione continued to listen to the mumbling, trying to decipher something of it. She knew he had sworn more than once, and that he would speak her name repeatedly, almost frantically. He would then speak something she couldn't understand, and go back to repeating her name.  
  
She was scared. The new found aspect that had made her happy only moments ago now frightened her. Draco sounded dazed, but scared...and she was terrified by his fear. The mumbling grew louder and faster, but not any clearer. It reminded Hermione of a strange ritual she had seen played out in a book, and that scared her even more. It had been a sacrificial ritual.  
  
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and tried to wait out the spell of mumbling, too afraid to wake him. It was all happening very fast, and she was shaking. Draco stopped suddenly and a moment later woke with a gasp. He tightened his arm around Hermione, and then noticed her shaking.  
  
"Draco?" she whispered.  
  
"Hermione?" he said, he had not known she was awake. "Are you alright? What's wrong, why....why are you shaking?" She shifted and lay on her back, beneath him. She looked scared, and was surprised at how calm Draco looked, save for the worry that was obviously for her.  
  
"What were you dreaming, just now?" she said, not nearly as calm as he was. Draco paled, knew immediately what must have happened.  
  
"Oh God, Hermione I'm sorry. I must have been premonishing." He paused and paled more, if that was possible. He looked Hermione in the eyes, and she saw the genuine fear in his silver grey pools. "Listen to me, Hermione, this is very important. What was it....what did I say?" Hermione just stared at him, not knowing how to tell him. She couldn't speak, but placed a hand on her chest, acknowledging herself.  
  
Draco understood, and died inside. He looked away from her. Nothing had compared to this feeling, not even the night he had found her bed empty. Something was going to happen to her, and he couldn't do anything...he felt helpless. Draco started breathing quickly, hyperventilating. Hermione lifted a hand to his face and he looked back to her. It was Draco's turn to cry. He slid an arm behind her and held Hermione close to him as he let the few tears slide down his cheeks.  
  
She held him, scared. Draco wasn't supposed to cry like this...she had never seen him this upset. Whenever she had seen Draco cry, it was maybe one or two silent tears, but now he was letting the tears flow, breathing quickly and squeezing her close to him. She was scared, but subconsciously flattered. He was this way because she was in danger, and he loved her.  
  
Hermione tried to reassure him, but her efforts were lost.  
  
"It'll be okay, Draco... please calm down," she rubbed his back gently. Draco made no effort to calm himself, but kissed her gently on the shoulder. She tried again and again to reassure him, but to no avail. "Draco, please... you're scaring me." Although the statement was true, Hermione had not planned on saying it. The words had slipped out unintentionally, but seemed to break Draco's curse.  
  
Realizing the way he must look, Draco quickly slowed his breathing and calmed himself, never letting go of her. She held him like a small child, and spoke softly.  
  
"What is it, Draco...what did you see?" she asked a little nervously, not sure if she wanted to be told. Draco shook his head slowly.  
  
"I don't know..." He sounded defeated.  
  
"You don't remember?"  
  
"Not right away, but I will..." He shuddered, then pulled away to look at her. "I just feel so helpless..." he lifted his hand and placed it on her cheek. "Something is going to happen to you, Hermione, and I can't do anything."  
  
"I'll be alright, Draco... we'll figure something out. Will you stay with me?"  
  
"Hermione, I'm never going to take my eyes off you again." He smiled a little, but then his face became serious again. "I can't lose you again, Hermione, I just can't..." he whispered.  
  
"You've never lost me, and I'm not going anywhere." She smiled and kissed him tenderly on the corner of his mouth.  
  
"I hope not," he said, more to himself than to her. Hermione rolled beneath him again, back to the position on her side. Draco knew what she wanted, and he wanted it too. He slid his body behind her, pulling her small frame against him. Hermione sighed deeply in comfort. Draco was about to snake his arm around her, when he noticed that Hermione's shirt was now bunched up below her breasts, exposing her stomach. He wanted to hold her closer to him, but was nervous about touching her.  
  
As if she knew, Hermione reached for Draco's hand behind her. She placed it gently onto her stomach and melted into his warmth. Hermione then slid her hand over his and Draco smiled. He kissed her along the back of her shoulder, moving into her neck, then up behind her ear as he had done many times before. Hermione was in heaven. This time was different, the moment was different, the scenery was different, and she was different. She moaned softly into his ear.  
  
"Oh, Draco..." she whispered, wanting to share the feeling with him.  
  
"Shh..." he spoke softly. Hermione did as he asked, and let herself fall into his touch. Draco was softly rolling his thumb over her bare skin, and she made no effort to stop him. She rolled back on her shoulders, facing him. Hermione smiled and licked her lips mock seductively, then giggled as Draco leaned closer to her. They kissed.  
  
This was no ordinary kiss, however. Like the cool shoulder kisses, it was different; perhaps it was the intense fear they had both felt moments ago that had changed it. The kiss went on and on, both Draco and Hermione were breathing through noses, not wanting to end the kiss.  
  
Draco saw an image pass through his closed eyes, but tried to ignore it. He continued with the kiss, deepening it.  
  
He saw another flash, longer this time, he could almost make out something, but then it was gone. Draco was getting worried, hoping it wasn't the premonition. He broke away from Hermione unexpectedly, holding himself up with his arms, and breathing heavily. She looked hurt, but saw the subtle fear in his eyes and let it go.  
  
"What is it, Draco?" she asked, worried.  
  
"I don't know..." he whispered, noticeably afraid. "I think it's the dream..." She gasped, but then calmed herself.  
  
"That's good, right? Then we'll know what's going to happen, and we might not be so surprised when it does," she asked, sounding small. She did not really want him to agree with her.  
  
"You're right," he paused and looked at her, "Are you sure you want to know?"  
  
"I'd feel better, but if it's too hard for you, you don't have to try, Draco... I wouldn't make you." He closed his eyes and sighed, head slightly down.  
  
"I'll remember anyway, in time," he said, suddenly sounding old. Hermione hated to see him look so drained, so defeated. She placed a hand gently on his cheek. Draco looked at her and Hermione nodded. He sighed again, this time not as deeply. "Come here," he whispered. She obeyed; she would do anything he asked her to right now.  
  
Hermione turned her hips toward him, and Draco held her close. He hesitated for a moment, and then rolled onto his back, hoisting Hermione on top of him. Hermione instinctly spread her legs over him, planting each knee on the bed beside his hips. She then laid herself down on him, head on his chest, and curled her arms under his, grasping his shoulders.  
  
Hermione held him as if clinging on for life. Draco wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him, then he spoke to her.  
  
"Don't be scared, Hermione. Whatever happens, just stay here...please..." he said, almost pleading.  
  
"Draco, what's going to happen?" she whispered.  
  
"I don't know, Hermione. I've never tried to remember before." She said nothing, but he knew she understood. "Ready?" he asked her, shakily. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and gripped him hard.  
  
"Yes..." she whispered, almost inaudibly.  
  
  
  
A/N HAHA! Bet you thought you were gonna see some nice good action in this one, weren't ya? Oh well....there HAS to be a boring chapter before there can be a super good one! Duh, silly! Hehe. And I know it's short, but I HAD to end there, I just HAD to...hehe  
  
PRF:  
  
Avi- I totally agree; I always fall for the bad guys too! I'll check out your fic ASAP! Haha, thanx for checking back! Most people are like screw it; it wasn't that good....but not you, haha!  
  
Long- I too am lost in my story; thanx!  
  
Cyropi- There is so much fluff in my lungs I can't breathe....but I'm enjoying it! What would a fanfic be without fluff? CRAP!  
  
Jack- Her room is destroyed, they find a weird thingy, and it BURNS her.....and you ask me what the RED CRAP IS! I think you're missing the point; but thanx for reviewing! Haha  
  
Hasapi- yeah, I know that I would have....but I couldn't let them; it's vital to my story that he not find out until later, they will tell, don't worry. And yeah, that guy knows everything!  
  
S-Star - freaky is my thing! And I've always wanted to write a letter like that and send it to the people that piss me off; I don't think I will, but it was nice to let Hermione do it....she seems to have some pretty crappy friends  
  
Sass - Thanx and I will  
  
Stace- I totally agree, he is super awesome! Way way way way out of character, but super awesome! Then again, Draco is so hott I'd shackle him to my bed if I met him on the street even if he hadn't changed! Maybe I DO have some things in common with Pansy Parkinson.....I shudder to think  
  
Silver-eyed-girl- Thanx and I sure will....probably not till this weekend, but I will most defiantly check it out  
  
Lil-spitfire- you're too kind, really! I'm glad you like it though, and thanx for reviewing; it's the reviewers that make all the difference. That goes for anybody else too, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! 


	11. Amicable Tarriance

A/N I've got some explaining, and apologizing to do. I know it's been forever since I posted a chapter and I'm sorry....there was a gap of about two weeks between chapters nine and ten, but I'm hoping to get this chapter (chapter 11) out soon after ten, as I don't like to leave you with a cliffhanger. I have a new posting policy, as my betas know, and as this only affects them, there is no need to worry. I can't blame it all on them, however. I have been handwriting more chapters than I have been typing old ones and I went through a period of three days where my eyes were glued to the computer reading other peoples' stuff. Not that I'm complaining, it was great stuff. Everyone read that D/Hr by Slytherin Witch. It may have 57 chapters, but they're damn good ones! On with the chapter I suppose....  
  
Disclaimer: If only I owned Tom Felton, I'd be spending my time doing more than writing ;o) But I do not and therefore own nothing but the twisted ideas that damn muse pours through my fingers. Well, technically I guess my muse owns these as well, meaning I own nothing. Haha, so credit I get.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Amicable Tarriance  
  
Draco closed his eyes. He held Hermione close to him and it felt good for her to be there. He took a deep breath and pushed his brain. He was working blindly, not knowing exactly how to go about this. Whatever possessed him with the power to pemonish had evidently given him power to, somewhat; control his visions, because what Draco did worked instantly.  
  
***My very first DREAM sequence***  
  
He could hear the sound of running feet. See them running...through dark woods. There were trees, sticks and leaves covering the dirty ground. Draco couldn't make out the face, but only saw a silhouette of a person. It was a girl. She ran through the brush and Draco could hear her panting. She screamed as she tripped on something and slid across the ground. A deep, unfamiliar, voice laughed. The unknown man then spoke, his voice slithered like a snake through Draco's mind.  
  
"Why do you run, girl? You'll only make more trouble for yourself," he drawled.  
  
"Who are you?" the girl squeaked, obviously terrified.  
  
"That is of no concern to you, my dear," he answered and the girl spat at him. "Now, now. That's not very nice now, is it? What would your little boyfriend think about that? I don't think he'd be very pleased with you," the man answered smoothly. The girl gasped.  
  
"What have you done with Draco?" she asked in horror. The man chuckled  
  
"Not to worry Ms. Granger, he is in no immediate danger. That is, unless he takes my bait and comes after you." The man seemed calm as he spoke, but the girl screamed in fury and lunged at the man. This seemed not to faze him, and he lifted his wand. Without averting his gaze, the man spoke one slimy word that made Draco scream in his head.  
  
"Crucio." The girl, who Draco was now certain, was Hermione, crumpled to the ground and shook, double over in pain. She must have willed herself not to scream, but she was losing. A moan of pure agony escaped her lips and this must have been enough for the anonymous stranger, for he dropped his wand from her and replaced it in his pocket. The girl still shook with occasional spasms of pain, but was calming herself and attempting to sit up.  
  
"Silly girl," the stranger said, "Wandless, you are no match for me." The girl began to mumble something, but Draco couldn't hear what she was saying. The images were coming more into focus and Draco could clearly make out her face. It was most definitely Hermione.  
  
She was covered in blood; there were deep gashes along both of her arms and one on her chest, dreadfully close to her neck. Her legs were bloody and caked black with mud, covered only barely by her torn clothes, which Draco was thankful she was still wearing. The girl, Hermione, continued to mumble, and her words were a little louder now. The man noticed this,  
  
"Speak up, bitch!" he commanded, kicking her. She was sitting with her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth. Hermione's voice went directly from a mumble to a yell, with no happy medium in between. She closed her eyes and screamed the words.  
  
"Draco! Don't drink my tea, Draco! Please....no!" Hermione repeated these words over and over until the man grew annoyed.  
  
"Stupid Mudblood bitch, he can't hear your infernal yelling, now shut up," the man commanded calmly. Hermione didn't stop; she repeated her words over and over, begging him not to drink the tea. The dream faded, but Draco could still hear the girl crying. The sound was horrible, and Draco opened his eyes in a lapsed attempt to make it stop.  
  
Hermione's presence hit him like a brick. She was still lying on top of him, but now she was shaking uncontrollably and crying. Draco noticed his hands, so tightly pressed onto her back it must have hurt. He loosened his grip thoroughly, now just resting his hands limply on her back. Hermione was holding onto his shoulders as hard as she could, head buried into him. She felt him release her and stopped sobbing abruptly.  
  
"Draco?" she questioned. Draco was surprised she had said it in the manner that she did; as if he had called her on the phone and hadn't spoke and she suspected it was him. A chilling thought crossed through Draco's mind before he spoke. **I'm never going to drink another cup of tea again. **  
  
"Hermione, are you alright? You're shaking... my god, what did I do to you?" he asked, worried and a little scared. She visibly relaxed at the sound of his voice and loosened her grip on him. Hermione lifted her head to look into his eyes and placed a shaking hand on his cheek.  
  
"Thank god you're back, Draco. It was awful, I was scared..." she whispered, then paused. She smiled a crooked little smile not really meant for happiness and continued, "Listen to me complaining, it must have been so much worse for you..." she finished, all in a whisper. Draco could feel her thumb gently stroke his cheek and felt a tiny prick of relief.  
  
"Hermione, what did I do to you?" he asked again, scared for her now. Hermione was still crying, but managed to sound convincing as she answered him.  
  
"Oh, I'm okay, Draco...you didn't hurt me, it's just..." she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath as she prepared herself to relive what had just happened. "You didn't do anything for a while, and then just jerked a few times. It was a while before it got bad. Through it all you screamed, then started breathing hard. You held me tightly and repeated my name, like before...that was all though, I promise you didn't hurt me." She stopped and there was a long pause. Then she looked at him again, very serious. "What did you see?" Draco sighed, he just couldn't tell her.  
  
"It's gone almost as soon as I see it, like a dream..." He lied. He remembered everything. Draco had always been a bad liar and Hermione saw through it, but seemed to understand.  
  
"Can you remember anything?"  
  
"You were there, in a forest. I'm assuming it was the Forbidden Forest...there was someone else there too, and evil someone. I, however, was not there, and that scares me. I think the future can change, Hermione. It depends on choices. I'm choosing not to leave your side until this whole thing is done." He sighed, "I think it is a trap for me, and that scares me too. Not because I'm afraid of dieing, that's inevitable, but I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to put you into danger, Hermione, I've failed you. I'm sorry..." A tear slid down his face. Hermione kissed it away, then looked at him commandingly.  
  
"You can not blame yourself for this, Draco. I won't let you. It will all work out, I know it..." Draco was about to protest when Hermione silenced him with her lips. She kissed him deeply, and he kissed back as if they would never kiss again. He let Hermione lead, however. Draco would have done anything she asked of him at that moment. He felt hot love and passion bubble inside him, and he let it flow, mixing with the same emotions from the muggle-born girl.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
When it ended, Hermione rested her head back on Draco's chest and listed to the muffled beating of his racing heart. She, for the first time, noticed his silken nightshirt was drenched in sweat. Hermione didn't really mind this, but it gave her an idea. Not long after laying it down, she lifted her head and slid her hands from their perch at Draco's shoulders. They glided along his arms, twisting under and onto his chest. Draco didn't have a clue what Hermione was doing, but the way he felt at that moment would have let her kill him without protest, and he didn't stop her.  
  
Hermione's hands stopped at the buttons of his shirt, undoing the first three before she paused to look at him. Draco had been watching her handiwork, but now looked back at her. She smiled, unsure, as if asking permission. Draco smiled back genuinely, granting her request. Hermione looked back to her fingers and proceeded to undo the rest of the buttons. She slid her hands back up and then down and out, opening his shirt to reveal an even better chest than expected.  
  
She smiled again, impressed, then let her hand slide to his lower chest while she placed her head on his upper. Hermione looked at her hand, which was now tracing lazy circles around his defined muscles, and sighed blissfully. Draco didn't catch the bliss, however, and thought something was wrong.  
  
"What?" he asked, a little worried. She looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"It's just...this is all I've ever wanted."  
  
"What," Draco said sarcastically, "to be certain that your life is in mortal danger and be sitting in bed with the guy responsible?" Hermione flinched a little at this and frowned.  
  
"No, and you have to stop blaming yourself for this," she said warningly.  
  
"Well, what then?" he asked, curious. She smiled, glad for the subject change.  
  
"This, what we have. I love you so much, Draco... you have no idea... and I know you love me too. That's all I've ever wanted... to be this close to someone. This is all I could ever need, I could just stay here with you forever," she said and gripped him a little tighter.  
  
"I wish you would," he said, sliding a hand up the back of her shirt. Hermione felt a tingle run up her spine, chasing his fingers, and smiled warmly. This was heaven.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
As if on cue, as it always seemed was the case, there came a tap from the window. Hermione had left the drapes open the previous morning, and Draco hadn't remembered to close them.  
  
"What is it?" she asked Draco. Hermione was not facing the window and didn't want to move unless it was absolutely necessary.  
  
"Potter," Draco said, his voice dead-toned, after looking toward the window. Hermione sighed in annoyance.  
  
"I thought I told him not to write to me."  
  
"He didn't." Hermione, although thinking she had misunderstood him, realized what he was saying and snapped her head up in surprise. He nodded slowly and Hermione turned to face the window, hoping not to see what she thought she would. There was Harry, broom in hand, looking rather pissed off. Hermione paled a little.  
  
"Oh, crap... well, uh... I won't let him in, maybe he'll just go away."  
  
"Hermione..." he said, as if asking her to be rational. She sighed.  
  
"Okay, you're right..." she said, climbing off of him. Exactly the opposite of what Draco wanted, and he was not happy about this unexpected visit, but they couldn't leave the intruder outside. "I need something to put on..." she said as she practically fell out of the bed.  
  
Draco was about to ask why, but then he looked at her. She was wearing a similar outfit to that she was wearing the night he had found her asleep in the common room; a tight tank-top and short shorts. It WAS rather revealing, and he was not about to disagree with her. If she didn't want Potter to see as much of her as she did him, he was fine with that.  
  
Hermione grabbed the closest thing, which happened to be Draco's sweatshirt, and donned it before stepping toward the door.  
  
"So much for forever," Draco said quietly and smiled sadly. Hermione shot him a sympathetic look and opened the door.  
  
"Harry," she said, lacking enthusiasm. She was obviously not happy to see him. Harry looked at her standing there, arms crossed and looking annoyed, and silently regretted coming.  
  
"Hermione, I..." Harry started, but before he could say anything more, Draco came up behind Hermione. Unlike her, he hadn't bothered to cover himself, and his shirt was still unbuttoned. Harry averted his attention from Hermione to him. He gave Draco a look of disgust as he sized him up.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry said in mild acknowledgement.  
  
"Potter," Draco replied, trying to smile but finding himself unable. There was an awkward silence and Hermione sighed.  
  
"Harry, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I wish to speak with you, and I was certain you would not accept a letter," Harry replied professionally. Hermione seemed to be contemplating this, and, as she was in a much better mood than when she had written that letter, she decided she would give him a chance to explain some things. She nodded slowly to Harry, then looked to Draco. He was still looking at Harry, almost evilly, his eyes a bit unsure of whether to trust him.  
  
"I'll be fine," she said, smiling. Draco didn't seem convinced but nodded and gave a weak smile.  
  
"Right, then you can't stay out here. Why don't you take him into the common room." She smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek, his gaze never breaking from the eyes of the intruder. Hermione then turned to Harry, who looked furious.  
  
"Come on, Harry," she said, taking his arm and leading him past Draco and to the common room.  
  
Draco closed the door behind him, nervous about leaving Hermione so soon. Then, he had a thought that seemed to relax him. **There was no tea. Hermione said something about tea, she must have known I'd be premonishing and was trying to warn me. As long as there's no tea, she's safe...**  
  
He had a feeling that the tea was what was keeping him from not being with her in the forest and Draco was not planning on coming within ten feet of a cup of tea for the next hundred years.  
  
Draco stayed in his room, sitting cross-legged on his bed, waiting for her to come back. He had dressed, now clad in simple muggle jeans, however baggy, and a white T-shirt. He had run a comb through his wild hair, but did not grease it back. It made him look more like his father, and Hermione seemed to like it better this way. Draco sat patiently in the middle of his bed, nervously playing with the hem of his jeans.  
  
**What's taking so long? ** He wondered nervously. The tea analogy had made him feel better, but he was still very worried. Draco heard the door creek open and looked up to see Hermione, smiling widely. He couldn't help but smile too, she was happy, meaning he was happy. Draco got up from his bad and practically ran to her.  
  
"Do you want to come out?" she asked him, still smiling.  
  
"Only if you want me to, Hermione." She looked ecstatic at his acceptance. Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him into the common room where a happy looking Harry Potter sat on one of the couches. He stood as Draco entered, and Draco smiled crookedly, still not trusting him. Harry took a step toward him, but said nothing. Hermione gave Harry a warning glance and he looked back at her, reassured. Then he turned to Draco.  
  
"I propose a truce, Malfoy." Harry held out his hand. Draco was in shock and hesitated a moment. A similar look from Hermione brought him back and he placed his hand in Harry's.  
  
"You're on, Harry." He said and smiled, this time genuinely. Hermione had never looked nor felt so happy; she was practically jumping up and down. Then Draco thought of something. What he said surprised all three of them. "Where's er....Ron?"  
  
He instantly regretted it. Both Harry and Hermione looked at the floor, frowning almost in unison. Hermione nominated herself to answer the dreaded question.  
  
"Ron's, well....he's not coming," she said sadly. Draco was surprised and looked at Harry, once again speaking before thinking.  
  
"But...how did you come without him getting mad at you, Harry?" Draco seemed to say Harry's name whenever possible; it sounded foreign to him, but he almost liked it. Harry's expression didn't change.  
  
"I didn't...he's furious with me, and both of you. This whole thing is incredibly hard for him." There was an awkward silence. Not wanting anything that may be regretted later to happen, Hermione broke it.  
  
"Oh don't worry, he'll come around soon enough," she said smiling kindly and laying a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder. "Come and sit Draco," she said, turning to him, "we'll have some tea."  
  
Draco's heart sank to the deepest most region of his body. His face paled considerably and there was a look of sheer terror on his face. Hermione looked alarmed at his transformation.  
  
"T-T-Tea?" Draco asked, his voice shaking, as was his body.  
  
"Draco...what's wrong?" Hermione asked, worry apparent in her voice. He couldn't tell her, not now. Draco decided he may be able to later, but not with Harry there.  
  
Then, he thought of something, very important; the tea was a sign. If he told her about it, it might affect her decision regarding it, and there would be no sign. No, he had to remain calm and just not drink any tea. He took a deep breath, feeling better. He must have looked it too, because Hermione looked a little less worried.  
  
"Nothing, Hermione...let's have tea." He smiled. It was difficult, but he made it look convincing enough. Hermione looked happy again and practically flew to the other side of the room to busy herself preparing the alleged drink.  
  
Draco and Harry sat, staring uneasily at each other. Harry was the first to speak.  
  
"I honestly believe you, Draco," he stated, so low that Hermione couldn't hear.  
  
"Thanks, Harry. That means a lot to me," he paused briefly, and turned his head toward Hermione. "...and to her." Harry smiled, then looked at him almost suspiciously.  
  
"You really love her, don't you?" he asked Draco.  
  
"More than anything," Draco answered without hesitation. It was true, and the fact that someone else could tell made Draco feel contented. Harry smiled.  
  
Hermione returned with the tea and Draco looked at it fearfully. He swallowed and sent them a struggled smile. Hermione served the tea and Draco thought it better to accept and simply not drink it than to refuse it. The trio chatted and Draco occasionally rose the cup to his mouth, but never a drop passed through his lips.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was dark again before Harry left. They had made their way to the great hall for lunch, being careful no to let Harry be seen. By early evening, they were like old friends and felt comfortable around each other. Hermione felt bad for Harry, though; Ron was mad at him. When all was done, she would have Draco, but Harry would be alone.  
  
Mrs. Weasley had insisted that Harry stay in the burrow despite the little fight. Harry was more at home with them than anyone else and Hermione was happy that he had found a real family to substitute for his own.  
  
As Harry stepped out onto the balcony, he thanked the two for letting him stay and apologized for his rather rude intrusion.  
  
"Don't worry about it Harry, and be sure to come back and visit us again." Harry nodded, but Hermione wasn't finished. "May I ask that you give us a little more notice next time?" She looked at him mock serious and Harry laughed.  
  
"Of course, Hermione." Then he turned to Draco, who wasn't speaking, but watching the situation with a smile. "Draco," Harry said, holding out his hand again. Draco took it without hesitation this time and shook it vigorously.  
  
"Bye then, Harry," he said as their hands broke apart. Hermione was glowing. She kissed Harry lightly on the cheek and bid him ado. The platinum couple waved to their broom clad friend in the sky and watched as he flew off.  
  
Hermione turned her head to look at Draco, but never got a chance to see him; their lips locked instantly in an awaited kiss. Hermione felt her adrenaline level rise and deepened the kiss hungrily. Draco kissed her back, and for a moment forgot about the staffs, the premonitions, the dream, and even the tea. There was just them, just her, just the kiss, and the kiss was bliss.  
  
When they broke apart, they were breathing hard.  
  
"I've been waiting all day to do that," Hermione whispered, breathless but smiling. Draco smiled back; she had taken the words from his mouth.  
  
"Me too," he said before kissing her again. Hermione felt Draco's hands on her, and willed them to go where she knew they wouldn't. She had changed long ago and was now wearing simple jeans and a shirt she was thankful was backless. Hermione shuddered as she felt Draco's hands move along her spine. She wanted them there, but his touch was so gentle and tantalizing her body had to respond. Draco was unaware of this, however, and held her close as they finished the kiss.  
  
"Are you cold? Look at you, you must be freezing... let's go back inside." She smiled at his concern, feeling very loved.  
  
"Oh, Draco... you worry too much." Draco seemed to think this over, then answered with the most truthful thing he could think of.  
  
"Only about you." Hermione smiled and laid her head on his chest. Draco held her close and rocked her, still thinking she was cold.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Draco, are you coming in soon? It's awfully late..." Hermione yelled from her position in bed. She had been reading for a few hours and had expected Draco to have come to bed long ago. She had showered and was now dressed in a slightly warmer sleeping ensemble. Hermione was wearing black flannel shorts that were a bit longer than her red silken ones and a fitted black t- shirt with an extremely low V-line neck. She had dried her hair and put it up, but was now absent mindedly taking it out as she called to Draco.  
  
A platinum blonde head appeared in the doorway. He had also showered and was wearing a black sweatshirt with and loosely fitting flannel pants. He was smiling, but his eyes showed true exhaustion.  
  
"In a minute, love. I promise," he said smiling. Hermione returned the smile and watched as he disappeared again. Hermione sighed blissfully, ** Love? He's never called me love before...** She smiled dreamily, loving his unpredictability.  
  
Draco reappeared in the room no more than ten minutes later and Hermione was glad. She felt safe in Draco's room, but was a little scared at being alone what with all that had been going on. She was thankful that she had managed to successfully hide this from Harry, however. Things would be so much worse if he found out.  
  
"Sorry I left you alone so long, Hermione. Are you okay?" Draco walked to the bed and sat down next to Hermione.  
  
"Yes, of course, I'm fine Draco. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked and Draco shrugged his shoulders. He was certain that the tea earlier that day had not been the tea she had mentioned in the dream and he was confident that until that tea came, she would be safe. He kissed her on the cheek and slid into the bed beside her. Hermione removed her glasses and set them on the table beside her, then she slid down next to him.  
  
They were each on their sides, facing each other. The lights in the room were still on and they just looked to one another, happy that they were there. Hermione was smiling and that caused Draco to smile as well. Then, he said something totally unexpected, breaking the silence that hadn't bothered either of them.  
  
"I like it when you wear black," he stated simply. Hermione looked down at herself, or at as much of her that was visible above the blankets, then looked back to Draco.  
  
"I could say the same to you," she paused "but I've never seen you wear another color." Draco smirked, although he knew she was exaggerating. He hadn't worn black at all that that day, until now. However, he decided to play along, just for fun. It would do them both good to just laugh.  
  
"Go with what works," he said, still smirking. Hermione just looked at him, and he began to feel a little self conscious. "What?" he asked; curious. Hermione looked away for a split second, then brought her eyes back to his and smiled.  
  
"I love your unpredictability," she said, "It's what made me fall for you, I think."  
  
"Why are you always so sentimental?" he asked in a non-offensive way. Hermione shrugged her shoulder.  
  
"Go with what works." Draco looked at her with a look that just screamed 'Why you little...' She giggled as he attacked her, climbing on top of her and kissing her, roughly but quickly, while she continued to laugh. She calmed down quickly and whispered something while Draco went to work kissing her neck.  
  
The lights went out and only the fire and moon light shown on them. Hermione moaned softly in pleasure as Draco's lips moved down the neckline of her shirt, getting closer to where she wanted them to be. To her dismay, they stopped and moved back up the other side of her neck. She knew it was better that way... why get into something they couldn't finish?  
  
Draco slid his hand slowly up her outer thigh, feeling very daring. He knew his limits, however. Draco wouldn't go much further than this even if she asked him to. He loved her too much to jeopardize it all for one night. Hermione seemed to enjoy his treatment and didn't object as his hand slid closer to her hips. She moaned quietly and Draco loved it. She was enjoying this and he was inflicting this pleasure on her. It was him who made her get like that, his name she called softly into the darkness.  
  
Draco's hand made it successfully to her hip and he continued working a hickey into her neck. Hermione loved all of this, but she wanted more. She wanted to kiss him...yearned for the feeling of his lips on hers, needed to taste him. She licked her lips and waited, hoping Draco would grow bored of the spot on her neck and move to her lips. He had only been working it for a few seconds more when Hermione decided she couldn't stand it anymore. She felt Draco's hand slide under her shirt, moving up and down her side, below her breasts. She felt a tingling sensation wash over her as his fingers moved gently over her skin; it was heaven.  
  
"Draco..." she whispered, then paused briefly. "Draco, stop..." she breathed into his ear. He did, of course, and looked at her with a mixture of hurt and remorse. The bright moonlight illuminated his face, shedding cool blue light onto his pale skin.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Hermione. It was too much....I didn't realize, I'm sorry," he started to dismount her when he said this, but Hermione pulled him closer to her.  
  
"Kiss me," she whispered, demanding. Draco smiled, and did as she asked. He kissed her deeply, deeper than any other of their kisses. Hermione moaned into Draco's mouth and he kissed her harder. She kissed back, hungrily.  
  
When they broke apart, Hermione didn't open her eyes. Draco kissed her tenderly on the corner of her mouth, but her eyes will still closed.  
  
"Hermione?" he whispered, confused and a little worried. She didn't even move her lips when making her response.  
  
"Shh..." Draco did as she asked, but he was still a bit confused. Hermione left her eyes closed for a few more seconds then fluttered them open, much to Draco's relief.  
  
"What was that?" he asked, worried but curious as well.  
  
"I need you, Draco. Please..." She wasn't crying, and Draco was surprised; Hermione always cried. He didn't know what exactly she meant by that, or what no tears meant, but he comforted her.  
  
"Shh...It's okay, I'm here Hermione...what is it, what's wrong?" Draco asked. He had dismounted her, back now on his side, but was still holding her close to him. She said nothing, but began to shiver. Draco was getting nervous; he had no idea what was wrong. "Hermione, please...you're scaring me. What's wrong? Tell me, it's okay..."  
  
"I'm afraid, Draco. I'm afraid of everything. I am so happy...everything is perfect. I've got you, here; with me...we're together. I could ask for nothing more; I'm going to lose everything. Something is going to happen, I know it, and I don't want to lose this, Draco...I don't want to lose you," Hermione said this in all seriousness, she really was scared. Draco was in shock, ** What would make her think that I would ever leave her? **  
  
"How could you think that? I'm never going to leave you, Hermione. I wouldn't turn my back on you for anything. I love you, you know I do...and I'm not going anywhere." Hermione looked unchanged by his reassurance, and that worried him. He embraced her tightly and whispered into her hair, "I promise..." She squeezed him tighter and Draco was glad to get a reaction out of her. She pulled away and looked at him; he was unnerved by the exact same look of stone cold fear that was present on her face.  
  
"I know, Draco. I know you love me...I can see it in your eyes when you look at me, and it makes my world stop spinning. I love you Draco, more than anything, and I know you would never leave me... that's not what I'm afraid of." Hermione frowned as she finished, and Draco was bewildered.  
  
"What then?" he asked, hoping she wasn't hiding something from him.  
  
"I'm scared of..." she sighed and pulled him closer to her, burying her head in his chest. "Oh, Draco...what if you're taken from me?" Draco was shocked at the statement and held her tighter.  
  
"That's not going to happen, Hermione. I won't let anything come between us, I promise," he said sternly.  
  
"I want to believe you, but I'm scared. Everything I've ever loved seems to be taken from me...I love you too much, Draco. I don't think I could bear to lose you." Hermione was crying now, her head buried into Draco's sweatshirt. Draco comforted her and held her until she fell asleep. He kissed her head and held her close. There was no way Draco would let himself go to sleep...not now. He told himself that he needed to stay with her, to be there when she wakes up. Subconsciously, he knew that, more than anything, he wanted to make sure that she was there when she woke up.  
  
A/N Creepy OOC ending, I know...but I wanted to stress the fact that Hermione is as afraid of losing Draco as Draco is of losing her. I think I got that point across, but if you didn't catch it, now you know. Hehe....  
  
PRF:  
  
Mulderluva - Thanx, and I will  
  
S-Star- sorry, but I HAD to, it was like....detrimental to my well being. And I appreciate the not killing me thing, even if it is for your own benefit ;o)  
  
x0xferociousfemme0x0-Okay, this is a question that is being asked by more than a few people. They are not actually at school early, they came to school on time....just no one else did. They started on September first, and the rest of the school starts on or near January first. Four months. They did not stay over the summer, they were home as usual.  
  
Karly -Thanx, I will, and the D/Hr thing does not belong to me.....but oh how I'd love to be her! Hehe, he's some hott stuff, that Draco  
  
Hasapi - Draco is going to, or already did if your reading this an have already read the chapter above, try to remember the dream. They're scared cause they know it's not good and because he's never tried before.....as he said. And Thanx  
  
Cyropi - just because it's fluff-less (your fic, not mine....obviously) doesn't mean it isn't good. But oh, how I do love a good fluff!  
  
DragonFlames112@aol.com-- I stopped to piss you off, why the hell did you think I stopped? Haha, I'm sorry for the amazing three day gap between chapter posts, but they DO have to go through six eyes before they can be posted. Well, four lately, as one of my betas has mysteriously disappeared. I still have one loyal one though, and that's good for you if you like my fic Less eyes=more posts, more often. Hehe  
  
Joebob1379-I love a clueless hottie, don't you? Hehe. Thanx for reading, and posting so many! I'm sorry I stopped there, but as I've said, I was compelled. Fluff rules!  
  
Night Angel-Life is not fair. "Think how much worse it would be if life was fair, and all the awful things that happened to us happened because we actually deserve them. I for one take great comfort in the completely impersonal hostility of the universe" I don't know who said that, but it's my exact world few, so get over it! Haha. Thanx for reading and I hope you continue!  
  
Stace-think about it....what am I gonna do, kill them? Haha....not to give it away, but they live. Sorry if I've ruined your fun, but it is relitivly obvious. Hehe  
  
Fireseed-I hope that the fact you only reviewed on the first chapter does not mean that you did not read past it, but thanx for reading anyway. As I said to x0xferociousfemme0x0, they are not on summer holiday, it's November(hence the mention of it, and the snow). They started on Sept. 1st as usual, the only difference is the other students got to stay home until after Christmas.  
  
Avi- Thanx, and I hope the fact that you reviewed today before I posted doesn't mean you'll not check back tomorrow, or at least soon. I apologize. I love Draco too, and this Draco.....is MY Draco. I created him, and I will not destroy him. He may have gotten his looks, name, and history from a wench named J.K. Rowling; but his personality is ALL MINE! I have form fitted this Draco to be my ideal boyfriend, and have unintentionally set myself up for failure. I will never find my perfect Draco, but I'll keep looking. And if I do find someone acceptably close, I can have gorgeous blonde children, and our first heir shall be called Draco. I'm getting way too involved in this. I said nothing.  
  
  
  
I don't need to tell you guys to review, you've got that down! Two more and I have 100! Who gets to be the 100th reviewer? Let's all try and find out! When we do, well....then we can strive for the 150th! haha 


	12. Deliberate Serendipity

A/N I wrote this chapter right after the last one, and as Christmas is coming up, go ahead and expect more chapters faster. That is, if my betas are up to it. I understand that "Christmas should be spent with family" and what not, but I know, at least in my opinion, family sucks and I'd rather not spend too much time hanging out with them. That said, please feel free to come and read my story, or email me or something....Christmas depresses me, so I look forward to some contact from life forms more intelligent that my grandma.  
  
Also, sorry to Brit, but it's not like you don't have plenty more chapters to review! Hehe, I'm not mad, and I hope you're not, I don't think you will be, but I'm just checking.  
  
Disclaimer: ~You don't know why they had to go this far  
  
Traded your worth for these scars  
  
For your only company  
  
And don't believe the lies that they have told to you  
  
Not one word was true~  
  
Okay, so they're right; Not one word is true. And not one element is mine. You all know this, but I'm in a Lifehouse mood right now, and as I am typing previously written material, there is none in this chapter. I had to work it in somehow. If you were wondering, that song is called Simon, by Lifehouse. Yes, the same song chapter 8 was named after. It just fits this fic in so many ways! Lifehouse + Tom Felton + Me = 3  
  
(Whoa, I'm getting good at this naming chapters thing..... ;o) )  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE: Deliberate Serendipity  
  
Draco had awoken to find Hermione cheerfully reading next to him. She hadn't noticed he was awake and Draco thought to take advantage of the situation. He let his hand journey under the covers, to her knees, then climb up her thigh. He watched for her reaction; she smiled, still looking at the book. Draco could tell she wasn't really reading and just let his hand slide farther up her leg. She looked down at him and smiled. He smiled back.  
  
"Glad to see you finally awake, Mr. Malfoy. Do you have any idea what time it is?" Draco rolled over and sat up. Confused and tired, he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"What?" he asked, having no idea what she was talking about.  
  
"It's ten thirty," she informed him in a professional tone.  
  
"And?" he asked stupidly, not seeing her point. Hermione smiled.  
  
"AND I've been up for two and a half hours waiting for you." Draco knew she wasn't angry, just playing with him. He decided to play along.  
  
"Nobody said you had to stay here," he said coolly. Hermione closed her book and removed her glasses.  
  
"Right, and what exactly would you be thinking when you woke up and I wasn't here?" she looked at him, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Good point. Thanks for that," he said and kissed her on the cheek before speaking again. "You could have woken me up," he ventured, seeing no legitimate excuse for her not doing so. Hermione found one.  
  
"Yes, I suppose, but you look so cute and innocent while you sleep; I just couldn't." She smiled as she saw Draco blush a little. The, he smirked.  
  
"Then we must blame genetics for your boredom," he stated. Hermione smiled at him again, he really wanted to win this.  
  
"I never said I was bored, I simply informed you of the fact that I've been waiting here for a ridiculous amount of time, just to see you conscious." He leaned closer to her, their foreheads touching.  
  
"Love me that much, huh?" he asked, staring into her eyes. She smiled.  
  
"Yep." Hermione said this simply, and they both smiled as their lips were brought together. Neither deepened the kiss; it wasn't that kind of kiss. Their lips touched gently, only lingering for a moment before separating and coming together again in a rhythmic motion. Neither of the two could say that they were unsatisfied with the kiss, and each made a mental note to try that one again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was late afternoon that same day and both Draco and Hermione were on the common room floor, studying. Hermione looked up sharply then turned her head slowly around to look at the door of her room.  
  
"What is it?" Draco asked.  
  
"We haven't even looked in there in like two days," she paused and turned to face him, "Don't you think we should, I mean, do you think they might have come back?"  
  
"Maybe we should," he agreed, standing. He walked toward the door and Hermione tried to follow, but Draco held out his hand as if to hold her back. Hermione unwillingly stayed rooted to her spot while he crept up to the door of the room and slowly opened it. Peeking inside, Draco was glad to see that everything was exactly the way they had left it. The house elves had obviously entered, unaware of the previous state of the room, to light the fire, which was still burning, but dieing down. He entered cautiously, however, and held his hand around his pocketed wand, ready if needed. There was nothing out of place, nothing changed. Draco felt unusually calm, which was a good sign. He walked through the room slowly, checking everything.  
  
Hermione was nervous. Draco had only opened the door enough to slip in and she couldn't see him roaming around the room. She waited there for what seemed like hours, wishing that familiar blonde head to pop through the crack. It didn't come.  
  
"Draco?" she called nervously after a few minutes. There was a dreadful pause and Hermione's heart sank. Then, he spoke.  
  
"It's alright, Hermione. There's nothing." She sighed in deep relief at the sound of his voice.  
  
"Draco, please come back out, you're making me nervous." There was a slight pause, then the door swung slowly open. Draco appeared with a slightly worried smile on his face. Hermione walked to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder in attempt to convince herself that he was in fact there.  
  
"Alright then?" he asked, knowing she was fine. Hermione smiled at him and nodded gently. She limply slid her hand down his arm and turned back to her room; everything looked eerily normal. She looked back to him, uneasy. Draco noticed how uncomfortable she seemed and closed the door. She smiled at him, glad he understood her feelings, and walked back to her spot on the floor. Draco followed, not speaking. ** Best not to speak of this again, I think ** he noted mentally.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione and Draco went to bed early that night, exhausted from endless hours of pouring over textbooks. They were drowning themselves in their studies, wanting to forget everything that was happening. Draco looked at Hermione, asleep on his chest. He cursed himself for falling asleep the previous night and made himself promise not to do so again. He hadn't had another premonition, but he wasn't sure if that meant that the danger was gone, or if it simply hadn't happened yet.  
  
Draco watched Hermione sleep, feeling her heartbeat against his chest. He kept himself thinking about her, making sure he knew what drifting off would be risking. He was successful and was still awake when the sun rose and Hermione stirred.  
  
Hermione remained on his chest through the night and awoke there the next morning. Draco had his eyes only partially open and was stroking her arm with his thumb. Hermione fluttered her eyes open, feeling the soft caress. She tensed, but remembered it was Draco who was with her and instantly relaxed. Draco felt this and his eyes popped open, but he said nothing. He faltered his thumb, but then continued, and Hermione noticed the hesitation.  
  
"Draco, are you awake?" she asked in a whisper, not wanting to wake him if he wasn't.  
  
"Depends on your definition, but I think so, yes," he whispered back playfully. Hermione smiled at this.  
  
"Draco, you never seize to amaze me." She said, no longer whispering. A pause, "What time is it?" Draco turned his head to the blue digital numbers of his alarm.  
  
"Quarter of seven," he said, sighing.  
  
"Hhm..." Hermione mumbled, shifting her position. Then she paused and pushed herself up with the hand not on Draco's chest. She turned her head to look at him and eyed him suspiciously, "Wait, why are you up so early?" Draco was a little nervous, but kept his cool and didn't falter.  
  
"Why, so you wouldn't have to wait for me, of course," he said smoothly, as if it were obvious. Then he smirked. Hermione smiled warningly, then laid her head back down, sighing comfortably. Her hand still rested on Draco's chest, and his rested casually on her arm. He let his other hand snake around her, stopping on her hip, and pulled her a little closer to him.  
  
They stayed that way for over an hour; Draco getting increasingly closer to sleep. He had to do something soon or his efforts would be lost, but he didn't want to be the one to move her. He needed something, anything that would keep his mind off sleeping. **No, not just anything... her**. Draco slid his hand farther up her arm, then down again. It moved casually to her hand, then flew smoothly to her chin. He gently pressed her chin up, causing Hermione to look at him.  
  
She was smiling and he couldn't help but smile too. Draco kissed her and Hermione got surprisingly into it. Whenever Draco deepened the kiss, Hermione came back twice as hard. Much to his dismay, she broke off abruptly after only a few seconds. Draco could only manage a weak reply, but it satisfied Hermione better than a longer one would have.  
  
"Whoa..." he said quietly, eyes gone a little wide. Hermione smiled deviously and leaned in for more. Draco decided to take advantage of her presently wild state and let her lead him, only kissing back at her speed.  
  
Not breaking the kiss, Hermione slid a leg over him and settled herself as she had done the morning of the dream. Draco made no effort to stop her in any way. Hermione's kisses were all hard and wild and Draco admitted that he liked this side of her. He slid his hands under her shirt and ran them over her back; Hermione noticeably melted and his touch. It went no farther than that, however. They were already in love, and making more was out of the question. The couple seemed to have an unspoken understanding on the subject.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Draco, do you want children?" Hermione asked, totally off topic, one afternoon as they sat in the common room playing chess. Hermione wasn't very good and Draco almost always won; she had beaten him once, but Hermione suspected he had let her win. Neither enjoyed the game much, not nearly as much as Harry and Ron, but it helped pass the time.  
  
"What?" he asked, shocked at the question.  
  
"Do you want children?" she repeated. Hermione thought of continuing and reassuring him that she would support his answer, but instead left it at that simple statement. Draco looked utterly shocked for a moment, then seemed to get over it and smirked a little.  
  
"Now, now Hermione. That's rushing things bit now, isn't it? He said playfully. Hermione reached across the small table and pushed him gently on the shoulder.  
  
"Oh! You know what I mean." He looked a little more serious, but was still smiling.  
  
"I don't really know. If they come, they come. If not, then that's the way it is. I wouldn't mind kids, don't get me wrong, but I'm not going to try for them. If I'm meant to have an heir, then I will." Hermione was surprised at the sincerity of his answer. She looked at him thoughtfully. He moved a piece on the board, then looked at her as if expecting her to say something.  
  
"What?" she asked, honestly not knowing what he wanted.  
  
"Well, don't think you're getting an answer like that out of me without giving me one in return, Miss Granger," he said in mock outrage. She smiled.  
  
"I want them, I really do... but I agree with you. If fate has a child in line for me, that's great. If not, I'm not going to blackmail him into it," she said, looking at the board and contemplating a move before actually making it. Draco smiled.  
  
"Interesting way of looking at it," he moved a piece while he spoke and paused briefly before continuing. "Check Mate." Draco paused to look at Hermione, her mouth open with an expression of shock at his unexpected win. "You know, sometimes I'm not sure if even you know what you're talking about." Hermione snapped her head up to look at him and closed her mouth; then she smiled.  
  
"I'm not so sure either," she agreed. Draco smiled too; it was little things like that that made him love her.  
  
It had been three days since Harry had come and Draco hadn't slept more than an hour the whole time. He had managed to stay awake, but it was difficult with not caffeine in his system, and he sometimes nodded off.  
  
Hermione had noticed how bad he looked and couldn't help but wonder the real reason he was awake whenever she woke up. She knew about the premonitions, but something inside her wouldn't let her take them seriously. Draco had said nothing after her last comment and Hermione looked at him, worried.  
  
"Draco, are you alright?"  
  
"Of course, love. Why do you ask?" He was lying. He knew it and so did she. Hermione sighed; that was the answer she was expecting, however not the one she was hoping for.  
  
"Please don't lie to me, it just makes everything worse." He looked at her quickly and spoke sternly.  
  
"No, Hermione, I'm fine... really," he sighed, he had to say something more. That wasn't going to cut it this time, "I'm just worried about you. It's been four days since the dream and nothing's happened...it's never been that long before. I'm hoping that means we changed something and it's over, but I don't think it will be that easy..." he trailed off, looking sad.  
  
"Don't give me that premonishing bullshit!" she said, almost yelling. Draco looked at her, shocked. She looked furious and her eyes were cold. He wanted to be mad, but exhaustion had taken over his emotions.  
  
"Wait, you don't believe me?" Hermione said nothing, but continued to glare at him. "Hermione...you were right there, how can you not believe me?" He sounded hurt, deeply wounded. Hermione looked at him; she had never seen Draco look so pathetic; she had done this to him. Hermione released a deep sigh, dropping her shoulders and letting all of her fear, frustration, and anger leave her body. She couldn't even look at him.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. I know you're not lying to me about this...I'm just confused. I think I'm in denial, actually...I know you're telling me everything, yet I can't believe it. I'm sorry..." Draco seemed to understand. He stood from his chair and stepped toward Hermione. He held out a hand, as if asking to dance, and she took it, bewildered. Draco pulled her up and into a hug. Neither made any notice of the simple wooded chair that fell to the floor behind her.  
  
"It's alright Hermione," he whispered. She was crying again and Draco made as if it didn't bother him. He held her, rocking gently, until she had calmed down enough to stop the tears.  
  
"Sorry," she said, wiping her tears away.  
  
"Don't be," Draco said and kissed Hermione ever so gently. She collapsed into his arms and Draco supported her. He waited for her to kiss back, and she did, righting her stance in the process. The light kiss ended and was followed by a heavy pause.  
  
"Hungry?" she asked him, wanting to change the subject.  
  
"For you," he replied, backed by a trademark smirk. Hermione loved that side of Draco; he always made her heart flutter when he said things like that.  
  
"No, really...let's go."  
  
"Whatever you want, Hermione," he agreed. Not that he really had a choice, as he was dragged from the common room before he could react anyway.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
To their surprise, the great hall wasn't empty. Dumbledore sat at the head table, cheerily drinking tea and reading a copy of the Daily Prophet. Draco and Hermione entered, unaware of the old professor. They were walking very close, arms around eachother's waist, and Hermione's head was on Draco shoulder.  
  
The happy couple gasped in unison when they saw Dumbledore and Draco felt Hermione's arm tighten around him.  
  
"Good afternoon, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy," he said, not looking up from his tabloid. **Wow, it's really creepy how he seems to know everything...** both students thought in unison.  
  
"Good afternoon, Professor." Hermione said this hastily, as Draco was speechless. Dumbledore looked up from the paper with a cheery smile.  
  
"Come now, join me for lunch," he said to them, eyes twinkling. Hermione smiled and obeyed, not about to defy Professor Dumbledore. She took Draco's hand from her waist, and switched it to her other hand before beginning to walk toward the head table. Draco said nothing and looked a little paler than usual. Hermione held his hand and glanced up at him. He smiled weakly and followed her toward the head table, a bit reluctantly.  
  
The couple sat together, to the right of the old man. As they did, their food appeared automatically. Hermione seemed to have relaxed and was possibly even enjoying the encounter, but Draco was still shocked and nervous.  
  
"Something wrong, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked. Draco broke out of his state and hastily replied.  
  
"N-No, Headmaster," he said and turned back to his plate; attempting to eat. Hermione smiled at his reaction to the old man. The two ate in silence for a few minutes, Draco growing increasingly uncomfortable.  
  
"Well, how is your studying going, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"Very well Professor. I have confidence in both of us," Hermione said and looked at Draco affectionately. The old man nodded and there was a brief silence.  
  
"And is Mr. Potter quite well?" he asked casually. Hermione and Draco exchanged a surprised and frightened look.  
  
"You know about Harry?" Draco asked, speaking willingly for the first time since entering the great hall.  
  
"I have my ways, Mr. Malfoy." He paused, eyes twinkling that familiar twinkle. "Now, would you mind visiting my office when you are quite finished?" he asked, standing.  
  
"Of course, Professor." Hermione said. Dumbledore smiled at them understandingly and exited the hall via a side entrance. Both Draco and Hermione watched him exit, then Draco looked at her fearfully. She was smiling widely and couldn't help but burst out laughing. Draco rolled his eyes and smiled.  
  
"I've said it before and I'll say it again; you are bloody insane." She nodded through her laughter, but didn't stop for a good two minutes.  
  
When she did calm down, Draco didn't say anything. **How can she be so pretty no matter what she's doing? ** he wondered innocently.  
  
"That was just really creepy and stressful..." she paused, "I've wanted to laugh like that since we walked in." Hermione slumped back in her chair, breathing hard.  
  
"Hermione, I don't think I'll ever understand you," he said, smiling. She smiled back and shrugged her shoulders. Draco paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Want to go right to Dumbledore? He did ask us to come." Hermione nodded and he stood, holding out a hand to her. She took it and they exited the hall through the main doors, hands clasped.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
In less than ten minutes of horribly slow walking, the Hogwarts couple found themselves at the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Soon after, they were inside, holding hands and awaiting their fate.  
  
Dumbledore entered, smiling at the two as they quickly unclasped their hands. Both knew that he had knowledge of everything; Harry's visit, their relationship, and most likely even the staff. He always seemed to know everything. The old man sat behind his desk, smiling, but not speaking.  
  
"You wanted to see us, Professor Dumbledore?" Draco asked, respectively.  
  
"Indeed I did, Mr. Malfoy. It appears that we have a few matters that need to be discussed. Firstly, about Mr. Potter..." the old man began, but was cut off.  
  
"Please don't be angry with Harry; it was my fault, I should have asked him to leave. I'm sorry, professor, but we hadn't seen each other in over three months and..." Hermione said, but she too was cut off.  
  
"Calm down, Miss Granger. I am not about to punish either of you for this simple friendly randeveus. All I ask is that I be notified the next time Mr. Potter decides to drop in. Agreed?" He finished, looking at Hermione with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Of course, Professor," Hermione said. If she was relieved, she was doing a good job at hiding it.  
  
"Good. Now, it seems as though Mr. Potter is not the only visitor you have received?" The teenagers paled. "Would you care to explain the presence of a certain staff, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?" The old man finished. Hermione was the one with no words this time, but Draco came to her rescue.  
  
"Technically, we don't know why the staff is there. One morning we woke to find Hermione's room had been destroyed and on further investigation discovered the artifact. It was left by someone, apparently," he said, noticeably nervous yet very professional. Hermione noticed that he had left out the premonitions and was glad. Dumbledore need only know what is absolutely necessary.  
  
"I see," Dumbledore said and turned to the girl. "...and you were in the room during this attack, Miss Granger?" Hermione said nothing, but shook her head weakly. ** We're in trouble...** she thought. "No?" he sounded surprised. "Where, may I ask, were you then if not in your own bed?"  
  
Hermione looked to Draco slightly and tried to read his eyes. They seemed to say, *He already knows.* She took a deep breath and sighed. Then, strangely, she smiled. ** Why is this so bad? I love Draco and I'm shouldn't be ashamed of it. **  
  
"I was with Draco," she said, almost proudly.  
  
"Ah. And you were...?" the old man asked. She briefly wondered why Dumbledore was acting this way; asking them questions he already knew the answer to. It almost seemed out of character, but she shrugged it off; what did it matter?  
  
"We were sleeping," she said in her previous tone. Dumbledore looked satisfied, as if he knew but only wanted to hear it from them.  
  
"Well," he said, changing the subject. "May I suggest you show me this object, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione seemed happier.  
  
"Certainly, Headmaster," she said and smiled.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It seemed to take them less time to get back to their rooms than it had to go from the great hall to Dumbledore's office. Draco and Hermione did walk near each other, but did not hold hands. Hermione was no longer ashamed of their relationship, and she hoped Draco felt the same way, but they did feel uncomfortable expressing it in front of the old headmaster, as many other student couples did.  
  
They found themselves in the common room in no time and were faced once again with Hermione's door. Draco silently volunteered to open it, knowing Hermione would be afraid to. They hadn't been in there in almost a week; not since the day after Harry's visit.  
  
Draco opened the door cauciously, peeking around the door to make sure all was well for Dumbledore. Upon seeing that everything was still in order, Draco swung the door open. He heard Hermione sigh in relief and looked at her reassuringly. Dumbledore was still smiling and he walked past Draco into the room. Hermione followed, but stopped at the doorway, standing next to her platinum blonde boyfriend. The aged man gingerly lifted the staff from the floor and held it in his hands. After inspecting it for a few minutes, he turned back to the couple in the doorway.  
  
"Knowing the both of you, I trust you have already discovered the name and origin of this artifact?" he asked. Draco nodded. "Well, then you must also be aware of the danger of having something like this in the school, unguarded?" he continued, not raising his voice, but still striking fear into their hearts.  
  
"Yes, Sir," Draco said quietly, not looking at Dumbledore.  
  
"Yet, you still did not see reason to inform me of this discovery?" Neither said anything and looked only at their feet. "Not to worry. I'm sure you both have your reasons and I'm not going to ask of you to inform me of them. As no one was hurt beyond repair, I see no need to punish you. I trust you will tell me, however, if anything like this were to happen again?" The two nodded in unison. "Good." He finished and moved toward the door.  
  
Draco and Hermione stepped out of his way and let the old man pass. They then followed behind him to the door and watched as he exited through the portrait, neither speaking. When he had safely exited the room and was well on his way down the hall, Hermione spoke.  
  
"He took the staff, Draco." Hermione looked at him, "What if they come back? They won't be able to find it and that could cause some big problems. Or what if they're tracking it? They'll think we told him..." She gasped, horrid ideas flying through her mind. "What if that's what they were waiting for?"  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and slowly slid to the floor, rocking back and forth as she sat, obviously shaken. Draco came to her rescue, wrapping his arms around her and speaking reassuringly, but he couldn't help but to think, **What if she's right?**  
  
  
  
A/N HAHA! Ntyc, but I just thought I'd share with you, that was a whole composition notebook! The next chapter begins the blood red book, as this one was black. The third volume, if there be one, which I think there will as I am halfway through the blood red one now, will also be red, ntyc. Haha, anyway...  
  
PRF:  
  
S-Star - I told you it was a good idea not to kill me....haha, here's one more reason. It's called chapter twelve. There are nine more reasons ready to follow, can you guess what they are? Haha, Happy Christmas.  
  
CassieXanthe- Yes, I thought that was a fairly good twist myself. And, as said in the authors note in chapter eight (Simon), the chapter is named after the song Simon by the band Lifehouse. Its on the No Name Face album; my favorite CD, and it fit Hermione's mood. Check it out, you'll be glad you did...hehe t4r!  
  
CLARICEKARN1234- Thanx, and I try to add as often as possible. You put me on your favorites! Thanx! Im flattered, for sure! T4r, and t4reveiwing!  
  
hasapi- thanx, and that was kinda my line of reasoning. I'm glad you wanna read more! It makes me feel like pop-corn. Haha, inside joke from later in the story....you'll figure it out about chapter 26, so be patient....haha  
  
Dark Rogue- Thanx, and thanx, no ones ever told me that b4! I'll try to email you; sorry if I don't get to it right away, I cant do it right now, its midnight and I have rents breathing down my neck to go to bed, haha  
  
Avi- Don't worry! There's always review 200, lol ... and do your homework so you don't get in trouble and not allowed to check back anymore! I would cry, :sniff sniff: Happy Christmas  
  
Dragon Girl- Thanx, and I appreciate your reading and reviewing! I'm posting as fast as my betas can read...they're only human, dammit! Lol, and I don't have a lot of experience w/ the kissing, but I try 


	13. Cessation of Agony

A/N Just to point out, I changed a few things in Ch 12....nothing big, just a couple words to make it sound better.  
  
I know that once again I have once again posted before this chapter was reviewed by you Brit, but as with the last one, I'll fix almost anything you tell me to! Lol, unless I have a good reason not to, as I did with that last bit of the last chapter. 2003 better be a more productive year, hope you all have a safe and happy new year. Don't drink and drive, or buy discount condoms. Lol  
  
Disclaimer: "You are neurotic and depressed, it doesn't mean that you are sad." ~Everclear (Band)  
  
"I wrote this fic and sired it, it doesn't mean that I should get any credit" ~Mandy (Author)  
  
I know I know, my disclaimers are really beginning to suck, but what can I say? I try. At least my chapter titles are pretty good.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER THRITEEN: Cessation of Agony  
  
By now, it had been a week since Draco had gotten a good night's sleep, and it was beginning to show. Hermione had noticed and repeatedly asked him if he was alright; she was worried. Draco couldn't bring himself to tell her what really was wrong, even through he knew she would understand. He was afraid of altering the future in any way that could cause him to lose what information he had.  
  
Draco had had the dream again. It had happened at night, while Hermione slept, and he wasn't quite sure whether he had done it purposely or not. Draco had been sitting there, awake, thinking about trying to remember again. What had scared him the most was that he hadn't remembered on his own, not since the few flashes he had seen before remembering entirely. Usually the premonitions would come back to him; he would remember small details at unexpected times and had to piece them together himself.  
  
Suddenly, Draco felt his brain lurch and knew what was coming. He held tight to Hermione, who, as always, was resting on his chest. He tried to stay quiet, not wanting to wake her, but the dream had started and Draco found himself unable to control his actions.  
  
The dream was exactly the same, down to the gash on her neck he had noted before. The dialog was the same, and Hermione still begged him not to drink the tea. As he woke, Draco observed Hermione first, trying to determine if she were awake.  
  
"Hermione?" he whispered. No answer. Draco relaxed a bit and thought back on his current situation. The dream had been the same, meaning he had been successful in not changing the future. Also, Hermione had still asked him not to drink her tea, and Draco was glad.  
  
The tea was the only indication he had as to when the mystery man captured her. The tea with Harry had not been 'that' tea, and he had known it, but still did not drink it... just in case. Now all there was to do was wait for Hermione to make him tea, but Draco didn't like having to wait for something he knew was terrible. He sighed.  
  
"I love you too much, Hermione... really," he whispered to her, then smiled. It was true, but he didn't want it any other way.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione woke with only one thought on her mind. She had gotten used to sleeping with Draco, and was no longer greeted by an uneasy feeling when she woke. This morning, she woke up frustrated and worried.  
  
"Draco, you better not be awake..." she whispered under her breath. She couldn't see his face, so she couldn't be sure if he was or not.  
  
"Hermione? Go back to sleep, love...it's only a quarter after six," he said with care. Hermione did not heed his word and pushed up with her arms to look at him. She looked angry and worried, and Draco was bewildered. "What?" he asked, sheepishly. She sighed, the worry overpowering her anger now.  
  
"Draco, why are you never asleep when I wake up? I know you well enough to know that you've probably never been up this early in your life, without reason, and now, suddenly it doesn't matter when I wake, you're always there." Draco didn't know how to answer that. He couldn't tell her, and he knew she wanted him to. In the end, he decided on a smile and a cheery shoulder shrug. Hermione was not satisfied.  
  
"You'd rather I not be here?" he said smugly, knowing he was twisting her words. She sighed again, sadly.  
  
"That's not what I meant and you know it. I'm just worried about you." He placed a gentle hand on her cheek, comforting her.  
  
"Don't be. I'm fine, really," he assured her. Hermione placed her hand on his and smiled.  
  
"I don't believe you," she said.  
  
"Then don't, but I'm fine." He was smiling and it was reassuring. She nodded and rested herself back on his chest.  
  
Draco did not tell her about the dream, hoping it was the right choice to make. She already suspected something and telling her about it would only make things worse, making her more suspicious. He sighed, but made it sound more cheerful that he felt. He was glad she trusted him enough not to be too inquisitive, but he knew she was still worried.  
  
Hermione tried to think of a reason why Draco was always awake; there had to be a legitimate excuse. She knew the premonitions had worried him and she believed that he had seen them, but it was hard to believe without seeing it herself. It had been almost two weeks since he had had the dream, and it hadn't reoccurred, so Hermione didn't really believe that was the reason.  
  
She didn't think he was ill, although he had been looking terrible the last few days. Hermione even briefly considered that he might have taken it to heart when she complained about having to wait for him to get up, but brushed the thought away. Draco wasn't that ignorant. Something was defiantly wrong, and he wouldn't tell her. It hurt that he was keeping something from her, but she knew he must have a reason.  
  
Hermione and Draco stayed that way for maybe a half an hour more, not speaking. Draco had his hand placed gently on her shoulder, caressing it with his thumb. Hermione had almost fallen back to sleep, but Draco took a deep breath and yawned, jolting her awake again. She smiled; so he wasn't indestructible. She squeezed him close to her for a moment, then shifted to get out of bed. Draco looked a little disappointed, as well as exhausted, and she smiled at him. Hermione stood from her berth and walked from the room without a word.  
  
Draco watched her leave, then closed his eyes. He wanted to stay in bed forever, but it was vital to Hermione that he stay awake. He needed her more than he needed sleep. Draco got up and slunk into the common room. Hermione wasn't there, but Draco was not immediately overcome with worry, but was still in enough of a right mind to realize that she should be here and wasn't.  
  
"Hey, Hermione?" he called, sitting down.  
  
"Yes, Draco?" came her reply from the bathroom. **Where else would she go, her room?** he asked himself sarcastically.  
  
"Oh wait, never mind," he said as if he had wanted to ask her something, but had figured it out himself. She didn't reply except to turn on the water in the shower. Draco sighed, she would be in there for a while, and he was alone with his thoughts. Draco thought about possibly studying, but dismissed it. Both he and Hermione had read almost every book in the library and if there was a question on that test he didn't know the answer to, it couldn't be that vital of information. Draco sat there, alone, and before long unwillingly closed his eyes. He fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, not waking until awoken.  
  
Draco was only allowed to sleep for about fifteen minutes; awoken abruptly by the bang of the bathroom door. Hermione exited, but did not notice Draco there until he spoke.  
  
"Alright?" he asked groggily. She looked to him and realized that she must have woken her baggy eyed inamorato. Hermione walked to the couch where he was sitting and sat on the edge next to him.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry! Go back to sleep, Draco... everything is fine," she said gently as if coaxing him back to sleep. Draco wanted to take up the offer, but knew better.  
  
"No, I'm alright, Hermione," he said, sitting up a little straighter. Now Hermione was becoming frustrated with him. She spoke calmly, however, not wanting to alert him to her anger.  
  
"Don't lie to me, Draco. You haven't slept in days; did you think I wouldn't notice? Please...you're no good to me like this." She was right, but Draco wouldn't let himself admit it. He couldn't sleep; he had to watch out for her...but he wasn't quite sure how much longer he could last. He looked at Hermione, almost pleadingly. She looked back, the same way. He couldn't say no to her. Draco knew he would never forgive himself for sleeping now, but his exhaustion clouded his judgment. He nodded, looking defeated. Hermione smiled widely and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth. She rose and left him there, hoping he would sleep for at least a few hours. Draco took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and drifted off to prayers for Hermione.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
There was another dream. It was almost the same as the previous dreams, and it occurred about an hour after Draco had fallen asleep. Hermione was sitting by the fire, reading, and watching Draco sleep. She was glad he was; he had seemed distant the last few days... as if waiting for something.  
  
Draco had not dreamed previously through his short sleep, but now the images were clear. He noticed it was much brighter than either of the other dreams had been, but the scenery was the same. Everything was the same. Hermione still lay broken and torn on the ground, victim to an unknown number of thins, the mysterious man still stood above her laughing as he had before, and Draco still was not present. Fully aware of what was happening, Draco was nervous. It was the same, but during the day... would it end the same?  
  
He felt his heartbeat slow as Hermione cried out to him; 'Don't drink the tea, Draco! Please!' The tea was all he had, and he had to hold onto it. He woke, immediately after the dream, suddenly. His eyes popped open and he lifted his head. Draco noticed Hermione sitting in the chair closest to his sofa and sighed in relief.  
  
Draco felt better, but he was still exhausted. There was no way he would let him self go back to sleep now, however. Hermione noticed Draco's head rise and looked to him casually. She smiled, but Draco could see the disappointment behind it.  
  
Hermione felt guilty; she was the reason Draco could sleep. She was flattered, but a little angry. **Why does he think I can't take care of myself?** She sighed; he was just worried about her. Draco cared about her and he wanted to make sure he was there to rescue her if anything happened. Hermione couldn't be mad at him; he was right; she did need him.  
  
Draco could have flipped her feelings around and asked her if she was disappointed that he was back, but he knew that wasn't what she meant and this didn't seem a time for joking. Hermione cared about him and had only best intentions for him. She was trying to hide her concern, and that made him smile.  
  
"Hey," she said quietly, knowing it would be much harder to get him to sleep again.  
  
"Hey," he repeated, grinning. Hermione smiled and looked back to her book.  
  
"That wasn't so difficult now, was it?" she said calmly, smirking and not looking back up. Draco smiled and picked himself up from the couch. He stepped toward her, still smiling. Then, he planted a kiss firmly on her lips.  
  
"Yes, Hermione. It was," he whispered into her ear and quickly turned to make his way to the bathroom, not waiting for her reply. She watched him go and frowned slightly as he closed the door. ** I'll never get him to go back to sleep now; I have to do something. This is getting out of hand...** Hermione seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then smirked deviously; you could almost see the light bulb flash on above her head.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco showered as quickly as possible, taking only the amount of time needed to hastily cleanse himself. He used a spell to dress and emerged from the bathroom after only about five minutes. Hermione looked up in surprise as she heard the door swing open.  
  
"That was quick," she said absentmindedly. Draco took it as disappointment and looked hurt. Hermione noticed, "What?" she said, concerned. He sat back down on the sofa and looked at her seriously.  
  
"Am I annoying to you?" She was taken off guard. Hermione would have come back with sarcasm if not for the look on Draco's pale face.  
  
"What?" she asked, disbelieving. "Whatever would make you think that?" Draco smiled weakly. He was glad for her reaction; it meant her answer was no. However, Draco knew he had to give her a truthful explanation, and that made him nervous. He took a deep breath; why was he always sharing his feelings with her? He had never told anyone else how he felt, and he had turned out just fine. **Oh wait...good point.** Draco started rambling, as he often did when Hermione asked him a heartfelt question.  
  
"Well, a while ago there was that "I don't want to talk about it' thing..." Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Draco cut her off. "Wait, before you say anything, just hear me out, alright?" She nodded and he continued, "Well...then there was that 'I've been waiting for two hours for you to get up'. After that, the 'Why are you always awake, and there' conversation, which goes along with 'Why don't you just go to sleep?' Now, you make a comment about me not taking long enough in the shower... so I ask again, do I annoy you?" Hermione sat there with her mouth hung open in shock. ** How could he misconstrue the situation so badly?**  
  
"No, Draco... it's not like that," she said quietly. Then, reality seemed to fall back around her and she perked up, trying to explain. "We already talked about me not wanting to talk about it...I was messed that day; I didn't even know what 'it' was. When I said I'd been waiting for you, I had...but I wasn't complaining.  
  
I would do it again, except you haven't been sleeping. I didn't ask you why you were awake and suggest that you go to sleep because I didn't want you there, just because I'm worried about you. Draco, you haven't slept in days...that's unhealthy." She paused briefly, "And about the shower; I was just stating the obvious. You weren't in there for more than five minutes, at most." Hermione smiled and Draco sat there, no longer looking hurt, but more like he was trying to comprehend her words. "I love you," she ventured, trying to please him. Draco looked at her and smiled.  
  
"I know," he whispered.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
They had talked for a while, but now all was silent. Draco sat on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, eyes glued open in a frightening manor. Hermione was at her desk, busily doing something with her hands. She got up and walked over to Draco, holding something out to him. Draco was too exhausted to notice her presence until she spoke.  
  
"Here, drink this," she said kindly. Draco looked to the cup in her hands wearily.  
  
"What is it?" he asked suspiciously and she smiled.  
  
"It's just tea. If you insist on staying up, it won't hurt to get some caffeine into your system." For a moment Draco was happy; she understood why he had to do this. Then, understanding and recollection overcame him and he paled considerably. Draco took the cup cautiously into his hands, afraid of it. Hermione was beaming.  
  
"Tea? You said it was tea?" he asked, knowing she had. Hermione nodded and her voice echoed through Draco's head. ** ' Don't drink my tea, Draco....please!' ** He shuddered and turned to look at her. "What did you put in it?" he asked sternly, obviously convinced she had.  
  
Hermione's smile broke and she paled a little.  
  
"H-how did you...?" she said in disbelief. Draco's eyes filled with terror. She thought he would be angry and immediately tried to explain. "I'm sorry! I had to do something, I couldn't let you go on like this! I didn't want to deceive you, Draco... I was desperate," she said, a tear or two falling.  
  
"This is not good Hermione, not good at all." Hermione knew now that he wasn't angry, but rather very scared. She was semi-confused.  
  
"What do you mean, Draco?" she asked, honestly not knowing.  
  
"The dreams, I've had them twice more," he informed her, now looking down to the floor tearily.  
  
"Oh, Draco...why didn't you tell me?" Now Hermione was scared.  
  
"In them, each time, you begged and begged me not to drink 'your tea'. I didn't tell you because if I did, it would have affected your actions regarding it, and the tea was all I had to go by. This is the tea you warned me not to drink; this is the reason I wasn't with you when you were taken," He said and paused before looking to her. "What did you put in this?"  
  
"J-just some Negrosphamine potion..." she said, shaken and scared.  
  
"Seven hours then, Hermione. Sometime within the next seven hours, something is going to happen," he told her, trying to remain calm. She nodded, too many emotions were overpowering her; she couldn't cry. "But it's different now... I am not drinking that. I'm here, now, Hermione... and I'm not going to leave you."  
  
Hermione threw herself at Draco and he held her tight to him, as if holding onto life. In Draco's eyes, he was. Hermione was his life and he was desperately close to losing her.  
  
"I love you," he whispered, not letting go of her. Hermione squeezed him as tight as she could and began to answer back.  
  
"I lo-" Hermione's sentence was interrupted by her sudden disappearance. Draco gasped.  
  
"Hermione!!" he shouted as he jumped up. She had vanished into thin air... it had started.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
A/N: Wouldn't it be incredibly evil of me to stop right there? Mwa ha ha! Well, that would be a short chapter....and I am only moderately evil, so I don't see why I shouldn't continue....  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"...love you too," Hermione said and opened her eyes. She gasped and threw herself backward. "Wh-who are you?" she demanded of the hooded figure that stood before her. The mysterious man only laughed coldly.  
  
"I didn't know you cared, Miss Granger." Hermione, scared beyond comparison, got up from the ground as quickly as possible and began to run. She ran through the trees of what she subconsciously assumed was the forbidden forest. Hermione hadn't gone far when she tripped over a loose tree root and slid across the rocky ground.  
  
She gasped as she felt the sharp sticks and stones cut through her legs. Hermione was crying now, and her tears mixed with the blood from her cuts, dripping onto the cold earth. She hunched up against a tree and tucked her knees under her chin, just sobbing.  
  
Hermione could hear the laughter get louder as the mysterious hooded figure moved closer to her. She closed her eyes and thought of the one thing she knew would keep her going; Draco. ** He didn't drink the tea, he'll come for me...I know he will...**  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco panicked. Her ran frantically through the common room screaming her name. Heart racing, he check the bathroom, both bedrooms, and the balcony, not really expecting to find her. Draco shrunk to the floor, devastated and helpless. He was on the balcony, kneeling on the ground, with his hands over his eyes.  
  
Suddenly, his head perked up. A scream echoed across the Hogwarts' grounds, and it send shivers up Draco's spine. Relief mixed with intense fear and worry as he recognized the voice.  
  
"Hermione?" he whispered; then shouted, "Hermione!" Draco leapt to his feet and flew back through the common room to the portrait, then out into the halls. Coincidentally, he ran through the painting and directly into Professor Snape.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy! What are you doing?" he asked in his traditional drawl with an added bit of surprise. Draco was hysterical and couldn't speak coherently.  
  
"Professor! Hermione! Gone...tea, forest...help!" he said quickly and took off running. Snape looked surprised for a moment, but his expression changed quickly and he hurried off in the direction opposite Draco.  
  
Draco flew down the many staircases to the main doors of the castle. He hurried out, into the afternoon air, and headed immediately for the forest. More than half way across the expanse, he skidded to a stop. **I'll never find her on foot...it's impossible.** Then he thought of something and turned immediately to the Quidditch field.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
By this time, Hermione had already been subjected to various curses from her unknown attacker, and was hovering inches from the ground in an intense battle against the man.  
  
"Where is this lover of yours, Miss Granger? I see now how much he loves you," he said, dropping his current curse and letting Hermione fall to the ground in a heap. Hermione cried harder; she was sure Draco would come, but he hadn't. She was getting worried...**What if I was wrong...what if he doesn't come?** She couldn't let herself think that way; he had to come. He loved her, she was sure he did.  
  
"He does love me! Draco will come, I know he will!" she screamed at the man, who chuckled to himself. Then, a voice that belonged to neither the man nor the girl chimed in.  
  
"Of course I've come," it said. Both grounded figures looked to the sky; Draco was hovering a few feet above them on his broom and landed between them, standing protectively in front of Hermione.  
  
"Draco!" Hermione shouted when she saw him, but Draco's full attention was on the attacker. Holding his wand in front of him, Draco was ready to duel. The figure approached Draco and he threw his broom to the side.  
  
"You won't be needing that either, Mr. Malfoy; expelliarmus!" the man shouted and Draco's wand flew from his hand. He mentally slapped himself; why hadn't he thought of that? Draco stumbled back and kneeled in front of Hermione, not taking his eyes of the mysterious figure.  
  
"Draco..." she whispered, shaking in pain and fear. He looked to her and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. The man cleared his throat impatiently. Draco turned back to him, moving so that his body blocked Hermione's from harm.  
  
"What do you want from her?" Draco demanded. The figure chortled; he always seemed to be laughing at them.  
  
"I seek nothing more than what I have already gained," the man said, then paused. "Well, I suppose that isn't entirely true, but what I want I shall have very shortly." He rose his wand to them and Draco backed protectively in front of Hermione. The man took a breath as if to say something, the paused; he had changed his mind. "Crucio," he ended without feeling.  
  
Draco doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. Hermione screamed his name and Draco was reminded that she was there. Through waves of excruciating pain, Draco managed to keep himself in front of his inamorata.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Leave them alone!" a familiar yet unidentified voice sounded. The figure dropped his wand to his side in surprise, lifting the curse from Draco. As the pain diminished, Draco collapsed on the ground in a heap, but stayed that way only a few seconds before getting back up. Hermione was kneeling beside him, one hand on his back, the other covering her shocked and tear stained face.  
  
"R-Ron?" she asked, disbelieving. Draco heard this and looked to the new presence. It was indeed Ron Weasley, and he was holding out his wand, directly at the unidentified man. All of Ron's concentration was on the attacker and he didn't even acknowledge Hermione's question. The man was as shocked to see him as either Draco or Hermione.  
  
"Wh-what are you doing here?" the figure asked, taking a step back. Ron smirked.  
  
"I could ask the same of you, but your intent is painfully obvious." The man's new found stance showed his anger. He raised his wand to Ron, but the fiery boy was ready. "Stupefy!" he yelled and a brilliant stream of blue light flew from his wand and hit them man with full force, causing him to fly back into a nearby tree.  
  
The man slunk to the ground in a heap, unconscious. Ron smirked triumphantly and sheathed his wand. He then turned to Draco and Hermione, taking a step toward them.  
  
"Are you guys alright?" he asked. Hermione was too shocked to speak and Draco felt out of place, therefore not speaking. He rose shakily to his feet and held out a hand to Hermione. She didn't move, and Ron took a step closer, concerned.  
  
"Hermione?" Draco asked, snapping her out of her current state of shock. She looked to Draco, then took his and rose to her feet. Ron stayed rooted to his spot, unmoving.  
  
Hermione stepped into Draco and put her arms around his waist. He pulled a protective arm tightly around her while she hugged him. There was silence for a moment, then Hermione turned to look at Ron.  
  
"Yes Ron, thank you. But, what are you doing here?" she asked him. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Snape, Dumbledore, and Harry Potter. Dumbledore was the first to speak. After taking his fill of the scenery and piecing a few things together, he turned to Draco and Hermione.  
  
"Are you quite alright, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked. Draco looked to Hermione, who smiled slightly and nodded. She tightened her embrace around him and Draco turned back to the old man.  
  
"Yes, Professor. May I ask what is going on?" he replied and Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"I believe Mr. Weasley should be the one to explain that, Mr. Malfoy. However, this is not the place for such talk. Come, all of you, we shall continue this in my office." He had only just finished when a soft moan was heard from a figure not so far away; the hooded man was waking up.  
  
"Who....is that?" Hermione demanded, speaking for the first time since Ron's arrival. She spoke softly, clinging to Draco. Ron paled a little, then looked nervously at Harry. Harry nodded once, then said one thing.  
  
"Tell her."  
  
Ron nodded and turned to the man. He walked to his side and bent down next to him. Slowly, Ron pulled the hood from the mans head, revealing his identity. Hermione gasped and Draco's arm tightened around her.  
  
"Percy?"  
  
  
  
Mwa ha ha ha ha.....I've always hated that kid. Now I made him evil, as apposed to Draco who is way too hott to be truly evil. Percy on the other hand....well...with a name like Percy, it's not too hard to come to terms with, is it? Haha. I am having a very bad vocabulary problem recently, I just can't think of any words to say at all!  
  
PRF:  
  
15DramaQueen- Thanx. I dunno, I always got that subtle vibe from Hermione, about being pissed at Harry and Ron. I damn well would be if I was in her shoes. Don't die, how will you review? Lol. And (this goes to anyone else who asked) If while reading this your main question was 'What the hell was the red crap?' I think you missed something. That, actually, never gets explained, but it doesn't really matter. Well, there is some explaining, but you never find out what it is. It really doesn't matter. Fine, its....paint. There you go; uncreative, but it works.  
  
CassieXanthe- I liked your story too! And, coincidently enough, Chapter fourteen is called 'all will be revealed' so I guess I will reveal all! Lol  
  
*karly* - As you wish, and t4r!  
  
Hasapi- Of course I've written ahead. When you have dozens of angry fans breathing down your neck, its good to have something to throw at them if absolutely necessary. Lol.  
  
S-Star- Yep, nine more.....a clue? Hm... okay....they all begin with the word 'Chapter' lol. Thanx, nobody's ever mentioned the music selection, but I quite enjoy hearing other people say they like it. That CD inspires me every time I write, so be thankful to they lyrical masterminds that call themselves Lifehouse. Thanx again!  
  
CLARICEKARN1234- Lol, thanx!  
  
Night Angel - Lol, I will, thanx, and don't we all? Myself included ;o)  
  
Dragon Girl - No rushing has come forth, just anticipation and really cold fingers! Lol, t4r! What's Narnia? Isn't that the place the kids went in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe"? forgive me if I sound stupid, but I think it's something like that.  
  
Dreamfire - Any more cyber beatings and I wont be able to type....you know what that means, don't you? Lol I'm glad you like my story so much; I've updated, and it's no longer a cliff hanger, or not really....sort of....I don't know, what's the def. of a cliffhanger? Lol.  
  
Parvarti_p - I emailed you, but I want to put it in here too. I know muggle devices don't work at Hogwarts, but I really don't care. It IS to set a mood, and I don't expect them to live without Lifehouse for the entire school year....how could they DO that? Yes, next chapter, they DO figure it out. You don't figure out what the red stuff is, but it doesn't make a difference anyway....is PAINT. Lol. No, I only write HP fanfiction, and then only H/D romance (And then only this one) but only because I absolutely love Draco and Hermione is more like me than Ginny or Padma, or Pansy, or....Parvarti, and I can't think of any other suitable girls for him, lol. Plus, I like Hermione's name, hehe. T4r! 


	14. Tout Sera Révélé

A/N: I'm posting this chapter asap because the site was down for like a week and wouldn't let me on, so I feel bad. Here ya go...hope you like it!  
  
In case anyone cares, so you don't have to bustle on down to freetranslations.com, the title means all will be revealed in French.....so guess what? All will be revealed in this chapter. I'm a genius, aren't I?  
  
Disclaimer: Life is not fair. Imagine if life were fair, and all the bad stuff that happened to us was actually because we deserved it? Personally, I am totally fine with the way the universe just dumps crap on us. Also, I write stories with characters such that do not belong to me. (Although I will add some characters of my own in later, ntyc or anything but...) This may not be fair to you or to that Rowling ass, but that's the world for you. Impersonal hostility at it's best.  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Tout Sera Révélé  
  
A half an hour later, the entire group had managed to make it to Dumbledore's office, save Percy. Draco and Hermione sat next to each other, hands clasped. Neither had been very badly hurt, and simply used a few abrasion healing spells instead of going to the infirmary, much to the dismay of Madam Pomfrey. To Hermione's other side was Ron, his chair more than a foot away from her, and farther along the line was Harry. Snape sat to Draco's left, chair equally as far from him as Ron's was from Hermione. The congregation was seated in a line in front of Dumbledore's desk, behind which sat the Headmaster himself. Percy had been taken to the hospital wing to be subjected to numerous sleeping potions.  
  
"Well, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore began, "Do you care to explain?" Ron paled a little, and made a heavy sigh, then nodded.  
  
"I know everything." Hermione looked at him and Ron stared at the floor, not wishing to make eye contact as he explained the story. "Hermione, Percy knew about you and Malfoy. I asked him to send the letter Harry and I had written telling you that we had seen you. He must have read it and known what was happening. Harry and I had thought he was hurting you; we never expected this." He paused and looked at her. "Percy was in love with you, Hermione. He has been for years. I didn't tell you because he asked me not to, and because I knew you didn't love him. When he found out about you guys, he was mad with jealousy. He couldn't understand how you could fall for someone who had been so unbearable to you and not him, who had never said an unkind word.  
  
Percy wanted to make you pay; he loved you and you hurt him. As you know, he works in the ministry and it wasn't hard for him to take that staff. He was the one who left it in your room. The staff was a sort of... tracking device. Professor Dumbledore owns the companion staff and Percy knew it. When he took the Tetrabric up here, to his office, it was in close enough contact with his Plantron to activate them. These staffs are illegal, although Dumbledore has special permission to own one, and when activated, then ministry is alerted. Percy waited for this to happen, and when it did, he knew you were weak and scared and it was time to make a move.  
  
He came here, intent on killing both of you. Hermione, you for hurting him, and Malfoy for stealing you away, I suppose." He stopped, letting this all sink in. Hermione was surprisingly calm; although she was squeezing Draco's hand so hard her knuckles were white. Draco dare say nothing.  
  
"How do you know all this, Ron?" Hermione asked and Ron sighed, looking back to the floor.  
  
"Percy had mysteriously disappeared this evening, and Harry and I had suspected something was wrong. We checked the Marauder's map, to make sure everything was as it was supposed to be. Surprisingly, at the time anyway, we saw Percy walk off the page, into the forest. We looked back to your rooms, Hermione, and I was looking just in time to see your dot disappear.  
  
Everything fell into place. Percy's boss had called via fireplace to ask if he knew anything about a missing Tetrabric staff about a week ago. Percy said no, but I've always been able to tell when he is lying, and he was. I knew he was in love with you and insanely angry about Malfoy and by that time I had forgiven Harry for coming to see you and needed his help anyway. I explained everything to him as fast as possible and we both agreed we couldn't tell my parents, therefore we couldn't have them apparate us to Hogsmeade.  
  
We came by floo powder, and Harry went into the school to tell Dumbledore while I went into the forest to find you."  
  
Hermione nodded solemnly. Draco looked emotionless through all of this, but suddenly he looked curious and confused, turning his eyes to Snape.  
  
"Where do you fall into this, Professor?" he asked. Snape's expression didn't change and his voice held its usual unenthusiastic drawl.  
  
"Don't you remember meeting me in the hall just outside your room, Mr. Malfoy? Other than that and the fact that I escorted Mr. Potter to Professor Dumbledore's office upon his arrival, I suppose I do not have a significant role in this little situation," he answered.  
  
"That is untrue, Professor," Hermione said. All eyes on her in semi- surprise, she continued, "You supplied me with ingredients for my sleeping potion." She looked at Draco, who smiled a little. Only he and Dumbledore knew what she was talking about, but no one asked her to explain. Then she turned to the old man who had been quiet through out the conversation. "Professor, when my room was ransacked, there was a strange message written on the walls...do you have any idea what it could mean?" Draco stiffened at her statement and she looked at him with concern. "Draco?"  
  
"The message said, 'we will be back for the key' backward. I noticed it immediately, but didn't want to alarm you. Then you asked me to clean it up and we found the staff...I just forgot all about it, I'm sorry," he said quietly. She smiled reassuringly and turned back to the Headmaster.  
  
"What does it mean, Professor?" He smiled.  
  
"I'm afraid it was just a ploy to convince you both into telling me. The code was very easy to decipher, and the sentence means nothing. It was one of the few of Percy's ideas that backfired." Both Draco and Hermione nodded in understanding. There was a long period in which nobody spoke; they all looked at the floor, save Snape and Dumbledore, and Hermione rested her head on Draco's shoulder.  
  
"Professor, what's going to happen to Percy?" Hermione asked, sounding regretful and guilty.  
  
"Well, Miss Granger, I suspect he will be sent to Azkaban."  
  
"Azkaban? Is that really necessary, I mean... don't I get a say in this?" she asked calmly, but Draco was shocked.  
  
"Hermione! He tried to kill you! He deserves more than a petty trip to Azkaban, God... he should be tortured for eternity and subjected to constant Crucius!" He paused, paled, and looked at Ron. "No offence Ron, I'm sorry." Ron was shocked by the apology, and the use of his first name.  
  
"None taken, I totally agree with you." Hermione looked from Draco to Ron, then back to Draco.  
  
"Well, he didn't kill me and nobody got hurt....and I can't help but feel a little guilty, I caused the poor man to go crazy after all. Just look at Ron... imagine what his parents must think of me." Ron looked at her as if she had said the most insane thing he had ever heard.  
  
"No, Hermione... this is not your fault. I won't let you blame yourself for this. Percy has been on the brink of insanity for as long as I can remember. My parents already know; they even sent him to a shrink at St. Mungo's. It is true that you put him over the edge, but you had no idea. I'm not angry with you, I'm angry with him. I know my parents will feel the same way," he told her in a very convincing manner.  
  
Hermione smiled; Ron was right, but she still felt terrible. There wasn't much more conversing; Dumbledore suggested that both Draco and Hermione get some rest and that Harry and Ron return home and inform Mr. and Mrs. Weasley of their whereabouts, as well as Percy's condition. All agreed and stood. Hermione hugged both Harry and Ron. She knew that Ron was as accepting of her relationship with Draco was he probably ever would be, he didn't need to tell her.  
  
Draco shook hands with Harry, and then offered his hand to Ron.  
  
"Thanks, Ron," he said. Ron accepted the hand with minimum hesitation and nodded; Draco smiled.  
  
Harry and Ron left soon after, accompanied by Snape, and Hermione and Draco were left with only Dumbledore.  
  
"Come now, I shall escort you back to your common room, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger." They followed him slowly, walking close. Hermione had her head on Draco's shoulder and his hand was resting on her accompanying hip. They were both exhausted.  
  
Upon arriving at the portrait, Dumbledore said the password and invited himself in. He already knew about their relationship, obviously, but Hermione and Draco both felt uncomfortable expressing it in front of the old man. They parted ways very reluctantly, without as much as a kiss. Each went to their bedroom after bidding goodnight to their headmaster and readied themselves for bed.  
  
Hermione got into her bed, pulling the deep red sheets around her. She closed her eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. She felt empty... Draco wasn't there next to her.  
  
She sighed... It was hopeless, she needed him. Tonight more than ever. Hermione got out of bed and walked to the door which led to the common room. She paused before opening it; although it had been nearly an hour since she went to bed, she couldn't help but think **What if Dumbledore is still out there? ** Hermione backed away from the door and turned around. She stopped in front of the only other exit in the room; the balcony door.  
  
As she opened it, a cool breeze greeted her. Hermione smiled and stepped onto the cold grey ledge. **So many important things have happened out here...** she thought subconsciously, attention focused on her current mission. Hermione reached Draco's door and didn't hesitate to open it, but did so slowly, in case Draco was asleep. She closed the door behind her and maneuvered gracefully thorough the darkness. She couldn't see anything, but Hermione knew what was where by then and managed to make it to the bed silently. Hermione slid into the bed as if it were her own and moved close to Draco.  
  
"Hermione?" he said, knowing it was her.  
  
"Shh..." she whispered and kissed him. Draco kissed back as if kisses were air and he had been kept underwater for years. Both had been waiting for this since they had met in the forest, and the time couldn't have been more perfect.  
  
When they broke apart, Hermione was the first to speak. She pushed herself down and laid her head next to Draco's, her forehead on his cheek.  
  
"Can I sleep with you?" she whispered in a quiet plea. He smiled.  
  
"I was hoping you would ask that." She smiled. Draco's arm was already under her, and Hermione placed her hand on his chest. Neither could have asked for a better night. Unsurprisingly, both fell asleep quickly and stayed that way until dawn.  
  
A/N I know it's an incredibly short chapter, and only has about 1,838 words....but It held A LOT of information. I'm sorry, I promise to post this chapter with the next so as to have lots of fun things to read for you guys. Hehe.  
  
PRF:  
  
DracosSugar - I'd be honored to have my story on your site; I'll e-mail you. Thanx for reading and great penname, lol.  
  
Purplerks- Thanx, and good luck with your homework! Haha.  
  
Kristin- I know, I was hoping the Percy thing would be a shocker. I don't think ANYONE likes him, Rowling made him look like a stuck up ass, so hey; evil it is. And look^^ I made him CRAZY too...lol . I'm bad.  
  
S-Star- I'm glad you appreciate my appreciation for your appreciation of Lifehouse. And yes, not finding that CD IS a crime, punishable by death, I believe. Haha, you got me. They ARE chapters....hehe.  
  
Hasapi- Thanx, and yes, of course I'm going to continue. It's a LOT longer; it's NEVER going to end. I love this story, it's my baby... I'm not leaving her now, she's barely been born and is not ready to be out on her own yet. Hehe, maybe I'M the crazy one.  
  
Dreaming One- I know, right? Percy was destined to be evil. Thanx, and now you know how Ron got there, lol. You'll find out why Dumbledore had them come early, but it's not for quite a while. The thought of Dumbledore playing matchmaker strikes me as utterly hilarious, but I'm not saying that is or is not what happened. Lol, you'll find out; be patient.  
  
DragonGirl- I want some of that Turkish Fudge or whatever that mean old lady used to get the kid in the carriage! Mmmm.....lol. Narnia rules. Thanx!  
  
Nikki- Thanx, I love my story too. And yes, I am going to continue, and no, I don't want to know what the 'else' is...eep! Haha, Tom is way too hott for his own good. In a couple years when he grows up a bit? Unstoppable. 


	15. Icy Avocation

A/N As promised, here is the next chapter with only a two day increment. It probably wouldn't have been that long; but this site is being a booger. Haha.  
  
Disclaimer: If I cared as much about my homework as I do about this fic, I'd have straight A's. If JKR cared as much about her fans as she did her damn social life, she'd have written at least book six by now. If these characters belonged to me, I wouldn't have to spend my time talking about how much JKR pisses me off. I mean, seriously... these guys are a goldmine, and she's wasting them. It's like she doesn't even care. And now she's pregnant... jeez, just because you were getting it on, doesn't mean Harry should get turned off, have a heart!  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Icy Avocation  
  
Hermione woke to find Draco still asleep. She was glad that he was, but it was very odd; she was used to finding him awake, only having seen him that way three or four times before. Hermione was happy that he was finally sleeping, Merlin knows he needed it, but she missed him. This situation gave her new insight on Draco, however. He looked so innocent adorable as he slept, she felt her stomach flip as she looked at him.  
  
She sighed and squeezed closer to him. Her love for him was almost unbearable and being this close to him made her heart race. She wanted to desperately to kiss him, to touch him, to moan his name in the midst of passion... but she couldn't. He was asleep; she couldn't wake him now... he needed that sleep. Hermione had kept him awake for days; it was the least she could do to let him rest now. She planted a gentle kiss on his cheek, but that was all. She could wait a few more hours.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco woke very late. He looked to his clock: it was 12:45. A sigh accompanied his change in gaze as his eyes moved back to the ceiling. It was a full ten seconds before Draco noticed something was wrong. **Hermione! ** He looked around the room frantically, searching, but to no avail; she was gone.  
  
Draco tried to convince himself that she was fine...Percy was in the infirmary, there was no danger. Understandably, he couldn't help but be worried. He got out of bed immediately and entered the common room. She was neither there nor in the open bathroom. ** Déjà vu...** he thought nervously, ** I don't like where this is going...** as before, he walked to the door of Hermione's room and turned the knob slowly. This time, it wasn't locked. Draco opened the door slowly; half expecting to see her asleep in her own bed, half expecting not to see her at all.  
  
He heard a gasp and felt relief wash over him.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked, not wanting to scare her. He heard Hermione exhale deeply and then speak. It was like music to his ears.  
  
"Oh, Draco... you're awake." He popped his head in and smiled. She smirked at him. "Ever hear of knocking?" she asked, not really mad at all. Draco looked at her with an 'are you kidding?' expression. She giggled and he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Have you?" he asked, remembering the night before. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and answered.  
  
"Good point." Hermione got up from her perch on the floor; she was sitting cross-legged, surrounded by various books, quills, and parchment. **Typical...** he thought with a smirk. Hermione thought of asking why but decided it didn't really matter. She was glad he was awake.  
  
She stood and made her way over to him. Draco took a step forward and into the room; as they met, Hermione slid her hands around his waist, then up along his back, pulling herself close to him. Their eyes were locked and they were both smiling. Draco let his hands go where they wanted, and they chose to snake around her hips, then move down a bit more, closer to her arse than they had ever been. Hermione made no protest but to let her lips connect with his in an awaited kiss. The kiss was long and passionate, but gentle.  
  
Both were fighting the urge to jump at each other, wild love bubbling to the surface, but both were also unaware of the other's feelings. When the kiss ended, their eyes were locked again.  
  
"I love you too," Hermione said, finishing an unfinished statement. Draco smiled and brought a hand to her cheek gently. For the first time since Draco had entered, Hermione noticed how pale he was and the subtle remnants of fear and worry in his eyes. **I wasn't there when he woke up....** she thought, eyes growing wide. "Oh my god, I'm sorry! Draco, I didn't want to wake you up, god knows you needed the sleep, I..." she began in apology, but he cut her off.  
  
"Shh... it's okay, Hermione. You're alright, that's all I was worried about. I'm sure you've been up for hours, I can't rightly ask you to stay that long now, can I?" He was smiling, and she smiled back. Draco kissed her again, this time sweet and quick on the corner of her mouth. She buried her head into his chest and held him. "I love you," he whispered. Hermione said nothing for a moment, then smirked a little.  
  
"Now Draco, remember what happened the last time I tried to answer to that?" Draco flinched and tightened his arms a little.  
  
"That's not funny, Hermione," he said, but she knew he was smiling. **If I knew how and it was allowed, I could've apparated to the common room just now... THAT wouldn't have been funny. ** Hermione thought and was surprised at her evil will toward Draco. She held him tighter for a moment, then released him, arms still around his shoulders.  
  
Then, Hermione thought of something and looked at Draco. Her assumption that he was smiling was proven correct, but his smile broke when he was her face.  
  
"How did Percy get me to disappear?" she asked him, not really expecting him to know the answer. Draco looked at her, seemly scared again. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a deep and cheery voice.  
  
"I believe I know the answer to that question, Miss Granger." It was of course, Dumbledore. Draco turned around, startled to see the old man in the doorway.  
  
"Professor?" Hermione asked, equally surprised to see the headmaster in her quarters.  
  
"I apologize for my interruption, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, but when I was informed that both of you had finally risen, I thought it appropriate to pay you both a visit." Draco looked at the headmaster a bit suspiciously, but the old man only smiled. He then turned to Hermione and began to answer her. "In answer to your question, Miss Granger, I'm afraid that Mr. Weasley placed a spell on the note he was asked by his brother to send you. The spell was specifically made for you, and when you made contact with the letter, was transferred. It allowed Mr. Weasley to transport you from one place to another one time, and he chose to do so last night." Hermione nodded in understanding, but Draco looked sick. That spell made him feel helpless; anyone could do that again, and he wouldn't notice until it was too late. He looked to Dumbledore.  
  
"Professor, is there any way to know when this spell has been placed upon someone? For future reference, that is." Dumbledore smiled and Draco felt better; that was usually a good sign.  
  
"In fact, Mr. Malfoy, there is. A fairly large tattoo-like mark will appear on the victims left should when subjected to the Singtransion Curse, and will shrink away, disappearing about a week after the transportation portion of the curse has occurred." He said calmly. Draco looked horrified, then looked to Hermione. Her head was down and her eyes were looking to the floor guiltily.  
  
"You knew? Oh God, Hermione... why didn't you tell me?" he asked, not yelling but speaking louder than normally; he was shocked at her. Hermione took deep and ragged breath, then began to explain.  
  
"I didn't even notice it until yesterday," she said and looked up at him, "I was going to tell you, I really was; but I assumed it was nothing and wanted to find out before I worried you. Draco, you were already a wreak, I didn't want to further upset you unless absolutely necessary." Draco pulled her head into his chest.  
  
"It's okay... just tell me next time, god forbid there be one, alright?" She nodded into him and Draco smiled. Then he thought of something, ** Dumbledore!** Draco turned his head in the direction of the old man, only to be greeted by an empty doorway. "Professor?" he called, not expecting an answer. Hermione opened her eyes and looked up.  
  
"Where did he go?" she asked, confused.  
  
"I don't know, he just... disappeared," he answered and felt Hermione shutter against him. "Hey, no... it's alright. He's Dumbledore, he knows everything...I'm sure he's fine," he spoke softly and reassuringly. She felt better and nodded; Draco was right.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
There was a tap at the window. Hermione looked to Draco, who looked very pissed off; his face expressionless but his eyes giving him away. Hermione smiled and laughed a little. Draco looked at her like she was crazy.  
  
"What?" he asked, confused.  
  
"This happens like, every time we're together," she said and smiled.  
  
"I know," he said, sounding as annoyed as he looked. She kissed him quickly before breaking away to go to the window. As expected, it was Hedwig. Hermione let the owl in and proceeded to take the note from him.  
  
"Hermione,  
  
I know you asked us not to write to you, but I'm hoping things have changed since then. Ron would not approve of this letter, but I felt that you and Draco should know about some things.  
  
Percy will be sent to Azkaban, unless you choose not to press charges. Both Ron and I, and I'm sure Draco too, want you to do so. This is your decision, but remember that none of this is your fault and no one blames you. If you do press charges, Percy will be immediately taken to the prison and will remain there for an undisclosed amount of time. On behalf of Ron, the Weasleys, and myself, we will support whatever decision you make. You know our feelings on the subject.  
  
Harry"  
  
Hermione was facing Draco, unlike the last time she had received a letter. He watched her intently, hoping to catch a glimpse of emotion and know what to say. Hermione looked dispassionate, her expression unchanging. Her eyes told a different story, however; Draco saw remorse, guilt, and sorrow in her honey-brown orbs. He stepped closer to her, knowing she was upset.  
  
"What is it, love?" he asked gently, putting a hand on her cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke.  
  
"Percy is going to Azkaban." Draco said nothing. He was glad that son of a bitch was going there, but he knew Hermione was not. She paused before continuing. "Unless I don't press charges."  
  
"Are you going to?" he asked, not knowing what to expect. He hoped she would; it was bad enough that sorry ass tried to kill her, but look at what he was putting her through now. Hermione didn't answer right away; she simply looked away in thought. Then, almost to Draco's surprise, she nodded.  
  
"Yes. It seems to be the best thing for everyone. He DID try to kill me, and..." she paled, then looked at Draco. "Oh my god," she whispered and threw herself at him, "I'm sorry, oh Draco... I'm so sorry...." Draco was taken off guard and simply wrapped his arms around her in an attempt at comfort.  
  
"Whoa, what is it? What's wrong?" He was scared of her, this was not how Hermione acted.  
  
"Draco, I've been so ignorant, I didn't even realize it until just now, I..." she was becoming hysterical.  
  
"Calm down, Hermione... what are you talking about?"  
  
"When Percy...when he... he put Crucius on you, that's not what he was going to do; he changed his mind at the last second. He almost killed you, he almost took you away from me." Her arms tightened. "Ron would have come in time to save me, but..." Hermione was sobbing and couldn't speak another word.  
  
"Shh, shh... it's okay Hermione. I'm okay, you're okay...everything is going to be fine," he said, rubbing her back.  
  
"I have to send Percy to Azkaban... how could I even have considered not? I'll never forgive myself for that, oh god Draco... I almost lost you," she said the last few words very quietly. Draco didn't know what to say, he felt exactly the same way about her. He said nothing, only rocked her and held her close.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered after a moment while Hermione cried into his shirt and he held her close to him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hermione?" Draco asked the brown eyed girl who sat across form him.  
  
"Yeah?" she replied, looking up. The two sat in the common room, playing chess.  
  
"Can I see your shoulder?" he asked, almost nervously. Hermione looked confused, but then it dawned on her and she smiled. She was wearing a black spaghetti strapped tank top, covered by an equally black zip hoodie. 'I like it when you wear black,' he had said that night in bed.  
  
Hermione let the jacket fall off her shoulders to her elbows, then she shifted in her chair, exposing the tattoo-like mark that had been placed there. It was a replica of the intricate sun that was centered on the Tetrabric staff. Draco reached a hand out to her, gingerly running his fingers over the design. He gasped and pulled away suddenly. Hermione flipped the sweatshirt back over her shoulders and turned back to him.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, concerned. Draco said nothing but held out a blackened fingertip to her. She saw a thick drop of blood slide through a slight abrasion that also lied there. Hermione watched, speechless, as the blood droplet fell to the chess board below. She looked back to Draco's face, she saw no pain in his eyes; in fact, they were empty. This scared her a little. In all the time that she had known Draco, his eyes had never been empty. "Did I do that?" she asked quietly, eyes locked on his. At the sound of her voice, Draco napped out of his trance and his eyes swirled with curiosity and contentment. Hermione sighed inwardly, glad for the life back in him.  
  
"No, it was that mark... not you," he said, retracting his hand.  
  
"Well, let me fix it, then..." she pleaded, reaching for her wand.  
  
"No, I want to see what happens." Hermione looked at him suspiciously, but let it go. Draco had always been a little mysterious, why ask why now?  
  
There was a long silence; neither moved a piece on the board, nor spoke. Draco was watching Hermione as she gazed out the window.  
  
"Hey Draco, do you want to go for a walk? I haven't been outside in ages, with the exception of last night, and that doesn't really count. She asked, absent-mindedly, her gaze perpetually on the window.  
  
"If you want to, Hermione." She smiled and looked at him; he was smiling as well.  
  
Hermione stood and walked casually over to her room, then slipped inside. She searched in her trunk for a few moments, then came up with her Gryffindor scarf, some simple black gloves, and a tube of chap-stick. Hermione then grabbed her cloak and walked back through the door. A cloaked, scarfed, and gloved Draco Malfoy greeted her. She smiled **Great minds think alike, I suppose...**  
  
The two exited the common room and walked to the main doors together. A cool breeze greeted them and an unexpected flurry of snow swirled into the vast lobby.  
  
"It's snowing!" Draco said, sounding a little excited.  
  
"I know, that's why I wanted to come," Hermione answered and Draco looked at her, rather surprised. She stared out into the swirling abyss for a moment before stepping into the cold December air. Hermione stopped for a moment, **It's December...**  
  
Draco followed her outside and caught up with her quickly. She was walking slowly, her head tilted toward the sky, eyes closed. Hermione smiled as Draco clasped her hand in his.  
  
"I love the snow," she said, absent-mindedly, facing the clouds. Draco smiled, it was another of those little things that he loved about her; she was so very pure and innocent.  
  
"So do I, and the rain." She looked at him, slightly surprised. Hermione smirked and turned back away.  
  
"What's this then? Draco Malfoy admitting to liking something as pure as precipitation?" she asked playfully. Draco stopped walking and Hermione looked back to him.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, sounding hurt. Hermione felt a little uneasy; she had hurt him.  
  
"No, Draco, I..." No more words came. Hermione was a little scared, that wasn't what she had meant, and she didn't want a fight. Not now, especially. She looked at the pale boy, cheeks rosy from the cold air, with pleading eyes. Then, unexpectedly, Draco smiled. Hermione was relieved and smiled back.  
  
"Hey, I thought you were really mad at me!"  
  
"I told you," he said, starting to walk again. "I can't be angry with you; I am not capable of it." Hermione sighed and tightened her grip on his hand.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The couple walked to the lake, talking and enjoying the light snow. They sat on a bench together, huddled close for warmth, and just to be close. The two stayed that way for a while, talking mostly about themselves and asking each other questions; bonding.  
  
Draco told Hermione about his father. She had known he was dead, of course, but Draco had neglected to tell anyone the details, until now. Hermione did not interrupt him as he told her how the premonitions had let him to witness his father's attempts at harming his mother, and how that was ultimately what had killed him.  
  
"About a week after Voldemort was pronounced truly dead, my father blew up. He was angry and Mother was the only thing he could take it out on. There was me, of course, but I had almost become a match for him, and he was partial to harming weaker things. It was bad that time; he probably would have killed her had I not called the ministry.  
  
He tried to fight them off too, and they killed him in self defense. I do feel a bit guilty, but I rather he die than Mum. I know that's a terrible thing to say, wishing death upon your own father, but Mum is a good person... he was evil and corrupted."  
  
Hermione said nothing... she didn't know what she could possibly say. Draco noticed her discomfort and changed the subject, asking her about her muggle schooling. They talked for a while, then there was a long pause. It was a comfortable silence, but it was still quiet.  
  
"Do you want to go ice skating?" Hermione asked suddenly, looking out to the frozen lake.  
  
"My my, aren't we energetically spontaneous today?" he said with a smirk.  
  
"Oh, come on! We haven't had any fun in like, forever."  
  
"What? You don't think waiting six hours for me to wake up is fun?" he said sarcastically and she looked at him with mock warning.  
  
"Please?" she pleaded sweetly. Draco didn't want to say no to her, so he looked away. Suddenly, Hermione understood. Her eyes widened and her lips curled into a smirk. "You don't know how, do you?" Draco shook his head slowly.  
  
"Ice skating was one of those things my father liked to call 'Un-Malfoy like'" Draco said, then looked up, straight ahead. "Actually, just about anything considered fun was given that term; unless you call torture fun. And sex, sex is not 'Un-Malfoy like'." He smiled a little and looked to her.  
  
"Is that why you don't want to go?" she asked innocently. He looked at her with a little surprise.  
  
"I never said I didn't want to." Hermione beamed. She stood and pulled on his hand.  
  
"Come on, please?" He reluctantly followed her. Hermione dragged Draco to the edge of the ice, then let go of his hand and fished in her pocket for her wand. She extracted it from its holster and sat down on the snowy bank. She looked up at Draco and he sat down beside her.  
  
Hermione then pointed the want at her shoes and did the classic 'swish and flick.' The instantly turned into ice skates. Draco looked mildly horrified. Hermione saw this and laughed.  
  
"Don't worry, you don't have to have figure skates." She smiled and he looked at her, a bit baffled. " I know you too well." He smiled back as she changed his shoes into very manly hockey skates, then tucked away her wand and stood on the ice. Hermione smiled at Draco then made a speedy lap around the not-so-large lake surface. Draco watched in awe.  
  
Hermione slowed as she slid back to where Draco was seated.  
  
"Are you coming?" she asked and Draco smiled uneasily. He stood, but on the bank, and looked at her. She held out a hand to him and he took it, stepping onto the ice.  
  
Hermione attempted to explain the best way to go about skating, and Draco took to it surprisingly well. After only about twenty minutes, Draco was able to skate well enough to make his own lap around the lake. Although not as fast as Hermione, he did well for his first time on ice.  
  
The pair skated for over an hour, and would have longer if the twilight had not brought with it a temperature drop.  
  
"Hey, maybe we should go inside." Hermione called to Draco, who was about twenty feet away, trying to catch up with her. Draco had heard her speak, but didn't catch her words and attempted to speed up. His skates glazed over an unusually slick section of the ice and flew out from under him, sending him comically crashing to the ground.  
  
Hermione came quickly to his rescue, skating up beside him.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked, trying to suppress giggles. Draco smiled stupidly.  
  
"Oh yes, I'm fine. That was intentional, but thanks for your concern." She knelt down beside him with a smile.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it was, Mr. Malfoy," she said and quickly kissed him before he could speak again. When they broke away, she asked, more seriously, "But really, are you okay?" He smiled.  
  
"I am now."  
  
A/N AWW!!! With all that mortal paril, I think they deserved a fluffy after noon, don't you? Happy Christmas to them, although Christmas will be over by the time I get this up, but no matter....hehe.  
  
PRF:  
  
JoeBob1379: You've read other stories with evil Percy s? Damn, I thought that was original :o( No, I am so very far away from finishing this story... I don't know if they'll graduate in it... the rate I'm going that could be 50 notebooks away. The third one contains two whole days, lol, and just barely. Its sad, really.  
  
SISSYOFSLEEPWALER-thanx, and here ya go!  
  
Karly- mean? Me? I don't THINK so! Lol.  
  
Twinklelf- Thanx!  
  
Hasapi- Over? Not by a long shot, baby..... I have like twice that what's up already written, and half of it is typed and waiting to be posted, hehe.  
  
Nikki- yep, and I totally agree....hehe  
  
Artsgirl15- yep, Percy's CrAzY!!!  
  
Purplerks- Ron commiting suicide sure would make me laugh, lol.....my story is addicting? I apologize; I hate it when that happens :o( Go HMWK GIRL! WOHOO!!! Haha. 


	16. Vitreous Rapport

A/N ***EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT NOTE! PLEASE READ!***  
  
I'm gonna have an updater's mailing list. Put you e-mail in your review, or send me an e-mail, and I'll e-mail you whenever I update. I don't care if it's only like one person who takes up this opp; It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside ;o) Expect an E-mail from CrypticCoruscation@yahoo.com, I think my from name is 'Sprocket', and the subject is Flames Update. You guys will be termed my flamers. Go you!  
  
This chapter, at least I think, is pretty good. Let me know what YOU think. I got only like two reviews for the last chapter. TWO. I don't know if that means it sucked, my fans are getting lazy, or if it's because of the site being down for two days, but the point is, when you're used to like ten, two is degrading. Anyway, this chapter is better than the last one anyway, so I'm hoping people will be nice and review.... but I'm not holding my breath.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not lay claim to any of this, until you meet the Whizes. That's not for a while, don't get excited. But you know what? If you REALLY want to use them; go right the freak ahead. I don't give a rat's patootie. It's not like the story is any good, name one situation where I might actually need to prove that I wrote something saying I didn't own it. I dare you.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Vitreous Rapport  
  
Hermione smiled as she looked at the pale boy who lay with his back against the ice. A cool breeze ruffled her hair and she shivered.  
  
"Are you cold?" Draco asked and sat up quickly. She smiled at his concern.  
  
"A little... and it's getting rather dark. Don't you think we ought to go back in?" He nodded and placed a kiss on the corner of Hermione's mouth.  
  
Draco managed to get to his feet despite the slippery ice and his near inability to skate. He held out a hand to Hermione, who took it, but did not use it. She was sure that if she did, they would both end up back where they had started. Hermione stood and kept her grip on Draco's hand. They skated back to their spot on the bank together and sat back down. Hermione changed their skates into shoes and pulled her legs under her.  
  
She looked up at Draco, who was looking out across the lake and didn't notice her eyes. He was grinning slightly and rather stupidly with blue tinted lips; his pale blonde locks falling over his eyes and brushing against his pink stained cheeks. Hermione sighed, **Why does he have to be so attractive all the time? Not that I'm really complaining, but...** Draco heard the sigh and looked at her, smiling.  
  
"Ready?" he asked, grinning. Hermione nodded with a smile and they both stood, not long after they had sat. The walk back to the castle was a rather long one, but pleasant as well. The snow had changed from flurries of tiny flakes to larger wafers which fell heavily. Hermione sighed again blissfully and Draco placed an arm around her waist. She looked and him and he pulled her closer. "Still cold?" he asked as she placed her head on his shoulder.  
  
"No," she whispered sweetly. Draco smiled and they walked slowly back to the castle. The dyad stepped in silence for about half the way before Draco spoke again.  
  
"So is it what you thought it would be?" he asked sincerely. Hermione looked mildly confused, but was too caught up in the moment to actually think about what he was saying.  
  
"What?" she asked, not knowing what he was talking about.  
  
"Having everything you've ever wanted," he explained. Hermione smiled and closed her eyes.  
  
"It's so much better," she said, hugging him. She let the silence last for a moment, then asked, "What do you want more than anything?" He paused for only a moment before answering.  
  
"You," he said, truthfully. Hermione smiled; it made her feel unbelievably good when Draco said things like that.  
  
"I'm flattered but really; what do you want?" she inquired, thinking he was buttering her up.  
  
"I'm serious. Before you there was nothing; I was nothing. My future was already planned out for me, who was I to actually want something for myself? But then everything changed. I fell in love with you, Hermione, and you changed me. I've wanted nothing more than what we have right now, I couldn't ask for anything else." He paused and Hermione squeezed him. Draco didn't like being so sentimental, and couldn't help but speak again. "Except maybe a mug of hot butterbeer, it's freezing out here. Are you sure you're not too cold?"  
  
Hermione giggled while looking at him in mock warning, an interesting combination. She pushed him playfully and he laughed.  
  
"What?" he asked innocently. Hermione shook her head and rested it back on his shoulder. "But seriously, I don't think I've ever told you how long I've liked you. Years, Hermione. I went through a form of depression; I didn't think anything mattered, including myself. Then something happened... I think it was something as small as you apologizing to me after we bumped into each other in the hall, something like that...but it changed me.  
  
I started to notice you, glancing over at meals or during potions. I discovered something; you mattered. You mattered to me, and that kept me going. I truthfully believe that you saved me from myself, love. I am forever in your debt." He was smiling and Hermione was silent. If there was one thing she could always expect from Draco, that was it. He had a habit of saying things that left her speechless.  
  
"Why do you always have to do that?" she asked. Draco looked confused.  
  
"Do what?" he asked and she sighed.  
  
"You always say momentous things like that, and I know you mean what you say. I just never know what to say back," she stated simply. Draco thought for a moment, then smirked.  
  
"And what exactly am I supposed to say to that?" he catechized. She smiled.  
  
"Good point."  
  
By now they were back to the castle, walking up the steps to the main doors. Draco took a step ahead of Hermione and opened the door for her.  
  
"Here we are, Madame," he said, smiling. Hermione laughed and walked through the door.  
  
"Thank you, Monsieur." Draco followed Hermione inside and was slightly taken aback by the rush of warm air that filled his lungs. Hermione took his hand and let him toward the doors of the nearby Great Hall.  
  
"Where are we going?" he asked, although it was obvious. "I mean, why are we going there?"  
  
"To get that butterbeer you wanted," she said, smiling. Before Draco could say anything, she opened the doors. There was one lone house elf shining one of the already gleaming tables. "Dobby!" Hermione shrieked in delight and ran toward her, dragging Draco behind her. The house elf looked up with a huge grin, but his happiness faded into fear as he caught sight of Draco.  
  
"Ma-Master Malfoy?" Dobby asked when they were close enough. Draco grinned crookedly.  
  
"Hello Dobby, You look different; it's been years," he said, holding out hand. The elf looked at him rather uneasily, but took his hand quickly and made as if to kiss it. Draco laughed and pulled his hand away. "There is no need for that; we are equals now, Dobby. And please, call me Draco." Dobby looked at Hermione, who was grinning widely. She nodded as if in reassurance.  
  
"Alright then, Draco. What can Dobby get for you, Hermione?"  
  
"Two hot butterbeers please, Dobby." The elf grinned and bowed, then hurried off toward the kitchens. Draco looked at Hermione some what strangely. She looked back, still smiling. "What?" she asked, confused at his look.  
  
"Nothing...I thought you were against house elves as slaves and what not."  
  
"I am. Dobby gets paid, this is his job. And besides, I'm gonna leave a tip," she said, not angry in the least.  
  
"He gets paid? My father never paid him," Draco said, almost regretfully. Hermione smiled at that; he was showing concern for creatures most people considered below them.  
  
"I know," she said comfortingly. Draco opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Dobby returned with their drinks. Hermione thanked him and placed a galleon in his tiny hand. Dobby tried to refuse it, but Hermione insisted. Dobby gave in and took the money. He thanked her enthusiastically, then ran off to the kitchens again.  
  
Draco smirked at her after they had seated themselves. Hermione looked back at him questioningly.  
  
"Has anyone ever said no to you about anything?" he asked with a serious sarcasm unique only to Draco Malfoy. Hermione looked very serious as she answered.  
  
"Nope," she said simply.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The duo chatted while they warmed and drank their beverages. They didn't talk about anything very meaningful, as they seldom did. It was mindless chatter about themselves; funny little stories of things that had happened to them, why they studied so much, whether or not they liked brustle- sprouts, if they thought Snape and McGonagall had been doing any 'extracurricular activities'.  
  
Draco and Hermione stayed in the great hall until the sky above them grew dark. It was still snowing, but, because they were inside, the flakes disappeared a few feet above their heads. Hermione looked up to the sky and sighed blissfully. Draco looked at her and couldn't help but smile as well.  
  
"Why do you have to be so pretty?" he asked, not realizing he had said it out loud until it was too late. She looked back at him and smiled crookedly.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'll try harder not to be," she said and Draco felt the thought repeat in his mind; she WAS very pretty.  
  
"Thanks, I'd appreciate that," he said sarcastically, but sweetly. She smiled and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "Just don't try too hard, okay?" he said and she nodded with a smile before kissing him again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The pair decided to go back to the common room not long after. They walked there together, hand in hand, both looking happy. They didn't talk much, there was no need. Suddenly, Hermione frowned; Draco was looking at her and noticed. She tried to cover it up again with a smile, but his eyes told her he had seen.  
  
"I was just thinking about Ron; I don't think anyone's really thought about his feelings on this subject. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have brought it up... but you were going to ask and you know it," she said and Draco nodded solemnly; she was right. She looked at him and saw that Draco was frowning and looking at the floor. "No! I'm not letting this get to us... damn Harry and his letter; let's forget it, just for today. I'm sorry." Draco looked at her and smiled.  
  
"If you want to, I'm all for it."  
  
By this time, they were very near their portrait and walked in smiles and silence. Everything was wonderful; they felt as if everything bad about the past two weeks hadn't happened. Not wanting their thoughts to settle back on Percy, Hermione suggested that they continue to study. Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hermione, I bet you know every textbook word for word by now," he tried, smirking. She smiled.  
  
"Almost, but what else is there to do?" she said, taking off her gloves. Draco smirked again and took a step toward her.  
  
"I'm sure we could think of something..." he said and kissed her. Hermione knew it was coming by the way he moved toward her; in that sense, he had become very predictable. She smiled into the osculation and kissed back. Their lips touched only very lightly, but it was wonderful; the perfect compliment to their evening.  
  
Draco pulled away smiling, but Hermione wasn't finished with him yet. She pulled him closer, their mouths re-meeting hard. Hermione made a noise that sounded almost like pain, but then laughed into his mouth and began to kiss him. Draco kissed back, of course, glad she wanted it as much as he did.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco stood from his armchair, which was in front of Hermione's and very close, their legs tangled together. Hermione smiled up at him and he looked down at her.  
  
"I'm going to the kitchen, hoping the house elves will give me some coffee. Care to join me?" he asked, holding out his hand. Hermione was fairly tired and didn't really want to go, but this was Draco. And besides-- she didn't really want to be alone either. She closed her book and took his hand with a sigh.  
  
"If you want me to, Draco," she said and he bent down to kiss her ear. When he straightened again, Hermione noticed his smile falter and knew she had given herself away.  
  
"You don't have to, Hermione. I just thought I'd ask. I'll bring you back a cup, okay?" He didn't wait for her to answer, just dropped her hand, turned, and left. **Oh great, now he's mad at me; just what I need right now...**  
  
Hermione plopped back down into her chair and curled up. She squeezed her eyes shut against the tears she knew she had no power over. They came, and she let them; maybe crying would do some good.  
  
Draco returned about ten minutes later with two mugs and a large canteen of coffee. He walked through the portrait, smiling widely. Draco's eyes graced Hermione's huddled figure and his smile broke. He set the coffee down and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hermione jumped a little, but didn't look up.  
  
"It's okay, love...it's just me. What's wrong, what happened?" he asked, sad and concerned. Hermione looked up when she heard him, a lone tear sliding down her face. Draco felt his breath catch in his throat; he didn't know she was crying.  
  
"You're not mad at me?" she asked and Draco looked stunned.  
  
"What?" he said as if it were preposterous, "No, of course not... why should I be?" he asked and was relieved to see her smile. She embraced him suddenly, but his arms tightened around her out of instinct. She wasn't crying anymore, just holding him. "Hermione, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I don't know, I'm insane, don't pay attention to me," she said, pulling back a little to look at him. Draco smirked, however a little uneasily.  
  
"I think it's impossible to ignore you, but I'm glad you finally agree with me about your insanity." She laughed, although it was a bit throaty. "But really, Hermione... what's wrong?" he asked, not joking anymore.  
  
"I don't know, I thought you were mad at me..." Hermione started, but trailed off, realizing how much she had overreacted.  
  
"For what, not wanting to come downstairs with me? Yes Hermione, I'm very angry that you still didn't do something, even after I told you that you didn't have to," he said with a sarcastic smile and a raised eyebrow. She smiled at him, feeling stupid.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. I think I'm paranoid or something," she said, not looking at him. Draco placed a gentle hand on her cheek, and she turned her eyes up to him.  
  
"Perfectly understandable." He kissed her; possibly a bit longer than intended.  
  
Draco pulled away and smiled at her. Hermione looked much better than she had when he walked in, and he just looked at her. Hermione felt a little self-conscious, which was odd, as it was Draco who was staring.  
  
"So, how about that coffee?" he asked, smiling. Draco got up from his squatting position on the floor and went back to the table he had set the cups on. He poured them each a mug and walked back to where Hermione was sitting. Draco handed her one of the cups and she took it, smiling.  
  
"How did you even get this? I thought all the house elves were afraid of you," she said with a raised eyebrow. Draco couldn't help but smile at how quickly she could change her mood. ** She's been through a lot of shit, it's kinda cute how she can be like this when it's all over....do I dare test her? ** he thought with a smirk.  
  
"Oh, they are," he said as if it were common knowledge, "I just threatened them; they gave in rather easily," he told her in all seriousness. Hermione's jaw dropped, as he had expected. She looked furious; Draco just sat there, holding his coffee and watching it all play out. Hermione looked at him, blinked, and then expression changed drastically. The fire in her eyes was extinguished by threatening tears. She was hurt; deeply hurt. Hermione felt as if someone had run a dagger through her heart; she believed him.  
  
It was not so much what he did, but only that he did it. Draco had done something he knew she wouldn't approve of and then made light of it when he told her. She tore her eyes away from him, disbelieving. ** How could he? Maybe people don't change as quickly as I thought...**  
  
"My god, Hermione, I was just joking. I'm sorry," he said as he noticed how hard she was taking this. She looked at him as if surprised that he even dare speak to her. "I just told them that you sent me; they were happy to help. Hermione, I'm really sorry...I didn't think you'd take it like that, I..." She closed her eyes and turned away from him.  
  
Draco was rendered speechless. **Nice, real nice. Great job, asshole..." he cursed himself as he waited desperately for her to speak. Draco had pushed her too far and was kicking himself for it. Their relationship was obviously fragile, and at that moment they both realized it.  
  
**How could, within an hour, we have the same number of fights about stupid things like a trip to the kitchens, as we did in two weeks of living in fear? The closest things we had to fights were the one right after Dumbledore's meeting, and the argument after the 'do you want kids?' conversation. There were a few other petty things, but nothing that's ever made her cry... ** He though, not even realizing that all of the said arguments were caused by Hermione's over-reactions. She noticed, however.  
  
**Why am I like this? Why am I doing this to him? He's been nothing but wonderful to me since this began, and this is how I treat him? Not trust him? Accuse him? Make him look that way; as if the world was destroyed at his own hand?**  
  
She smiled weakly and Draco was visibly relieved. Draco had seated himself back in his chair across from her. She looked at him, at the emotions showing on his face like scars. She had done this to him, and she felt guilty. A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek and a slight quiver infested her upper lip. Then she stood. Draco looked up at her, his mouth open, prepared to give an apology. He was sure she would storm out of the room and close the door behind her, and he didn't want her to.  
  
Then Hermione did something unexpected. She took a small step forward and turned before settling herself on Draco's lap. He was surprised; that was about the opposite of what he expected. Draco wasn't complaining, he was just surprised.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked in an uneasy whisper. She kissed him lightly on the cheek before burying her head in Draco's neck and letting the tears fall. He said nothing more, just held her while she cried. It unnerved him that she was, but she obviously wasn't mad at him. **If it isn't me, what is it? I swear I'll never understand you, I just wish you would confide in me...**  
  
"I'm sorry," she said. Draco looked utterly obliviant. Hermione held him tighter, but didn't otherwise move.  
  
"What? Hermione, please tell me what's wrong, you scare me when you get like this," he pleaded, holding her tighter.  
  
"That's just it," she said, sounding very calm, which felt rather eerie. "I know how I'm making you feel, and I'm sorry. I honestly don't know why I'm like this, I just feel very strange, I don't know what's wrong. I don't want to lose you, Draco; and if I don't figure this out, I'm afraid that I'm going to say something or do something that will break us. I'm scared, Draco. What we have is so very important to me, and I can't help but get the feeling it's barely there." She sighed. Draco had paled during her confession, as she had just confirmed everything he had been thinking. He hugged her closer to him.  
  
"I know," he told her, "I feel that too, and it scares me more than you know." He paused, then whispered, "...but I love you, and I'll never let that happen." Hermione stayed silent for a moment, unmoving. Then she looked up at him. He was on the brink of tears himself and that scared Hermione even more. She had only seen Draco cry two or three times, all of which had been this summer.  
  
"Draco, please don't cry. I know I'm contradicting a previous conversation, but it scares me. You only cry when things are really bad... everything is fine, except this whole me having unexplained emotional breakdowns thing." She smiled, causing Draco to do the same. She kissed him, then smiled again. A deep sigh brought back her frown, however, and she knew Draco would ask her why.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked, not liking the look of this. The red hot flame in her eyes had returned; she was angry again.  
  
"Dammit, why aren't we happy? Everything is perfect between us, and for the first time in our relationship, we're not constantly afraid for our lives. What the hell is happening? This isn't fair." Draco placed a hand gently on her cheek and Hermione turned to him.  
  
"I'm not happy because you're not happy and that pisses me off a little, because I know why," he said, looking into her eyes.  
  
"Well, I wish you would enlighten me, cause this is bugging the hell out of me," Hermione answered quietly, as if mesmerized by his eyes. Draco sighed; he didn't want to tell her what he was thinking, but he knew she would guilt it out of him sooner or later.  
  
"Weasley," he said, then stopped. Hermione was looking at him in utter shock. "Ron is unhappy, and that makes you unhappy. You love him, Hermione, and don't try to tell me different."  
  
Hermione was speechless for a moment, then looked away.  
  
"You're right, that is why I'm not happy. I'm not going to lie to you, I do love him, but it's different. He's like a brother to me, not a boyfriend...it's the same with Harry." She turned her eyes to meet his. "I love you, Draco. They won't take me away from you, I won't let them." She once again rested her head in the nape of his neck. He held her close and kissed her head gently.  
  
"I was hoping you would say that."  
  
A/N I know, I know... another sappy OOC ending, but I wanted to exaggerate the fact that everything isn't gonna be all perfect and fairy-tale like just because the Percy thing is over. Everyone has problems; the world is never perfect. I don't know if you guys caught that, I'm not very good at expressing my feelings through the story, but I tried.  
  
PRF This shouldn't take long...  
  
DragonGirl- Haha, and thanx again.  
  
Dracoluvr01- I think we ALL hate Percy. Luv the sn, lol  
  
Hasapi- didn't they, though? Thanx 4 beta-ing. I guess I needed it more than I thought!  
  
Lil-spitfire- Thanx, but you flatter me. You didn't think that was all a little....cliquey? Thanx anyway!  
  
dEsTiNy- Wow, I'm glad you liked it enough to sit there and read the whole thing! I know what it's like when that happens, thanx to Slytherin Girl, so I apologize, lol. Thanx! Both Draco + tom are exceptionally hott, lol. Oh! Slytherin Girl's story is called 'I Won't Walk Away' and, icyc, is beta-ed by my good friend Hasapi, who also is beta-ing my story! Thanx!  
  
*karly* - Thanx, but I don't think I deserve that much praise, lol.  
  
Eliel Radragon- Thanx, and I always do! 


	17. Lust for Abscondment

Disclaimer: Please don't sue; I didn't steal anything. I'm just borrowing these wonderful people because I'm lazy. It's not like you'd get much if you sued anyway. "I find you, Mandy, Author of Flames of Ecstasy, guilty of plagiarism and charge you everything you own. That's fifteen dollars and thirty three cents in small bills, please"  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Lust for Abscondment  
  
It was a week after Hermione had discovered what had unnerved her, and she was thinking of what to do about it. Draco was in the common room with her, and was looking a little nervous. Hermione had noticed this, but as of yet had not said anything; Draco had many strange emotions and sometimes, she had decided, it was better not to ask. If he wished to tell her, she would listen, but she knew when and when not to interrogate him.  
  
Hermione was sitting backwards on one of the sofas, legs over the top and head hanging near the floor. She'd been sitting like that for a while and her face was getting red. Draco thought to ask is she was okay, but decided against it; he didn't know why, it just didn't feel right. Hermione was chewing gum, something he had never seen her do before, very quickly with her arms folded over her breasts.  
  
It was very surreal, and a little creepy. Draco was unintentionally staring at her and Hermione felt him watching. She stopped her rapid chewing and looked up at him. Draco was sitting calmly in the chair next to her sofa, an open book and parchment on his lap, fingers twisted around a loaded quill. He didn't notice her eyes on him, or his on her for that matter, until she spoke and brought him back from a world of thoughts.  
  
"What?" she asked him. She did not sound angry or annoyed, or exactly concerned. Her voice held a dead tone, sounding lifeless. Draco took a deep breath; he had given himself away again. It was somewhat unnerving how she could read him like that.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked, giving in. "You're acting rather strange." She smiled quickly and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Yep," she said, turning back to stare at nothing, jaw beginning to contract again. **Blasted muggle candy,** Draco thought, not really mad, just worried. He didn't stop staring and decided he had to talk to her about this.  
  
"I don't believe you," he said sternly. To his surprise, she said nothing and merely shrugged her shoulders, not even looking at him. "Hermione..." he said warningly, but with obvious concern. She sighed, giving in as well. Hermione knew she would have to eventually, she couldn't keep things from Draco; it just was insurmountable.  
  
"I'm just sick of this. This stupid castle, this room, everything. I don't think I can make it through this year; everything I see makes me mad. I've got like, severe cabin fever or something...I have to get out of here; how can you not feel it? It's like waves of annoyance radiating from the walls, I hate it!" she sighed, "It doesn't matter, I can't go anywhere. I'm stuck here. I'm sorry, just forget I said anything..." she trailed off sadly. A thought crossed Draco's mind, then unwillingly his lips.  
  
"Are you sick of me?" he asked before realizing it. She looked at him, eyes wide. **That, is a very bad habit, dammit. ** he cursed himself. "No, wait, don't answer that. I don't want to know; I'm sorry."  
  
"Draco!" she yelled in surprise, then twirled around to sit up. "How can you even think that?" she asked, very serious. Draco looked at her and couldn't help but smile. The serious look on her face combined with her red skin and wild hair was utterly laughable. Then his smile fell and he looked away.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. I have this terrible habit of blurting out things before I fully contemplate them." Hermione noticed how regretful he looked and smiled. She loved him, maybe more now than ever before. She stood and walked over to him. Draco looked up at her and Hermione settled herself gently on his lap, facing him.  
  
"Of course I'm not sick of you; I wouldn't trade the last few weeks for anything." She smiled and laughed a short little laugh. "And even if I was, I'm stuck with you now, aren't I?"  
  
Draco was about to protest and say that he loved her but he didn't own her and that she could leave anytime she wanted, but he didn't. He knew she was joking and he didn't want Hermione to misinterpret his words into thinking he wanted her to leave, plus there was the matter of her overreacting to things. ** This has to stop. ** Only a brief moment after Hermione had spoken, Draco answered her.  
  
"Yep," he said and kissed her before she could react. Hermione kissed back, hard. Draco let her lead him, trying to catch up. When the kiss ended, Draco spoke again, this time smiling.  
  
"Are you sick of that?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Very," she answered, but she was not smirking, nor smiling; she was serious. Draco felt suddenly very self conscious.  
  
"What?" he asked, trying to sound outraged but managing only hurt and disbelief. Now she smiled and Draco was confused.  
  
"Sick of it ending," she whispered, moments before their lips touched again. Draco pulled away from her kiss unexpectedly, leaving her in the middle. "Hey!" she said after regaining herself, "What was that for?" Draco looked at her mock innocently.  
  
"Just double checking," he said and smirked. Hermione looked at him warningly, but she was smiling. Then Draco decided to finish what he had started by kissing her again. Hermione was hesitant at first, expecting another abrupt ending, but realized soon that one was not coming and let Draco go, kissing back enough to keep him going.  
  
"Don't do that again or you'll regret it, Mr. Malfoy," she warned him.  
  
"You didn't seem to mind when I was doing it," he said smartly, one again twisting her words.  
  
"What, wait...you know what I meant! Honestly!" Draco only smirked innocently. Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled. She planted a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth, then stood from Draco's lap. She moved as if to go back to her sofa, then paused. She turned to face the blonde boy with curiosity and suspicion.  
  
"Where's my gum?" she asked suspiciously. Draco beamed. He paused a moment before extracting a small green ball from his mouth with an index finger and thumb. "Ew..." she said, not really meaning it, before taking the ball and popping it back into her mouth.  
  
"Ew..." Draco repeated her, almost mockingly. Hermione looked at him with more warning, and smiled. He shrugged, "I was already there, just figured I'd pick up a souvenir."  
  
Hermione shook her head at him; hiding how good things like that made her feel. The unpredictability of Draco's speech was the main reason she noticed him, apart from his sudden care for her. Whenever he said something like that, she felt as if she were falling in love with him all over again. Hermione didn't take her eyes off the pale 17-year-old she cared so deeply for and let his image echo through her brain, waiting for that familiar wave of adrenaline flecked emotion to course through her. That it did, and she smiled. She loved that feeling; it made her feel alive and happy, and Draco was the only one to ever make her feel that way. It an instant, she knew what it was: Love.  
  
Hermione had told Draco that she loved him and believed it herself, but unbeknownst to her, she really did love him. She had had this feeling for years, only for Draco, but never associated it with the small four letter word that meant so much. That's what it was, she was sure of it. The realization was mind blowing and Hermione had no choice but to sink to the cold stone floor. Draco was by her side in an instant.  
  
"Hermione!?" he said, alarmed and fearing the worst. The girl was staring blankly ahead and smiling, but turned to him at the sound of his voice. She looked into his eyes; the deep grey eyes that were of only Draco Malfoy. Hermione had more than once gotten caught up in those eyes, fallen into them, hoping to be lost forever and never have to leave. An end always came.  
  
There was something in those eyes tonight that she had never seen in them before. Something warm and smooth, rich and rare... love. Hermione knew that he, like herself, had just realized the meaning of the words I love you. An urge she couldn't control led Hermione to jump into his arms and hold on tight. Draco was a little unnerved by this, confused as to what was going on.  
  
"Hermione..." he asked as she held him tighter.  
  
"I love you," she said without missing a beat. "I really do, Draco. I have for as long as I can remember; before this, before Percy and this summer... even before you changed. I have always loved you; I just didn't know it until you loved me back."  
  
Hermione wasn't crying... just speaking and that really agitated Draco. She always cried, but not now...not after she had said something so important to him. His heart rejoiced as his mind listened to her words. She loved him, and he wanted to make sure she knew that he loved her back.  
  
"Hermione," he whispered, "I've always loved you back." The couple stayed silent for a while, enjoying each other's presence. Hermione still wasn't crying, she was just too happy. Everything was perfect, she needed nothing else but to be here in his arms. Both Hermione and Draco had temporarily blocked both Harry and the entire Weasley family from their minds, focusing only on their paramour. Then, Draco pulled away. Inside Hermione was screaming; she never wanted to let go... but she smiled as sweetly as possible on the outside, knowing he was going to say something.  
  
Draco leaned in to kiss her and Hermione smiled genuinely. This was better than any embrace. As their lips met, Draco felt the love bubble inside him and pushed it out through his lips, working it to his will. Hermione noticed the difference and felt the adrenaline pump her heart faster. She gave in and let her hormones take over, kissing him back like she had never done so before.  
  
The kiss was better than even their first, which had been mind-blowing, and both took comfort in knowing it wouldn't be their last. They broke apart gasping and embraced again. When Draco pulled away again, Hermione smiled, expecting another kiss. He had fooled her again, however. This time, he spoke.  
  
"Wait here for a second...I have to show you something," he told her. Hermione couldn't help but feel a little disappointed; he was leaving. She smiled and nodded however; the importance of the situation implied. Draco beamed and jumped up, heading to his room. Hermione sighed at his departure, but didn't have time to feel much, as Draco was back before she could do anything. Hermione smiled as he entered the room, happy to have her Draco close to her again. **Damn am I possessive,** she thought to herself as the came nearer.  
  
"What?" he asked as if he hadn't heard her say something. Hermione looked confused, then gasped silently **Did I just say that out loud?** Hermione tried to look like she didn't understand and shook her head. Draco shrugged, then smiled. He didn't say anything, just looked at her affectionately. Hermione's smile wouldn't leave her face, but it was not as if she tried very hard to rid herself of it. She sighed blissfully and spoke, sounding expectant.  
  
"You wanted to show me something?" Draco seemed to snap out of a daze and smiled.  
  
"Oh, right," he said, kneeling next to her on the floor. "Look," he continued, handing her a folded piece of paper. The paper was old and crinkled, as if it had been opened and folded too many times. Hermione looked at him a bit suspiciously before taking it, searching his eyes for warning. Draco smiled reassuringly and Hermione took the paper, hesitating before opening it. Draco watched her as she looked at the item, and read surprised in her eyes, then a bit of confusion before she finally smiled. Hermione looked up at him, then back to the parchment.  
  
It was a picture, obviously taken with a wizard camera as the pictures were moving. Hermione looked over the photo, trying to take in everything. It was of her, at a Quidditch game, and Draco in the background, holding the snitch. She looked at the picture form of herself, surprised at how happy she seemed.  
  
Hermione looked from her smiling profile, following her own gaze to the picture Draco, hovering a few feet in front of her, looking very happy. Everyone around her, mostly Gryffindors, seemed to be relatively disappointed at the Slytherin win, but not Hermione.  
  
Now, the brown haired girl looked to the real Draco, wearing an identical smirk to his picture self.  
  
"Where did you get this?" she asked, curious. Draco's smile fell a fraction, but he was not upset, nor surprised.  
  
"Creevy. He dropped it in the hall and I picked it up; I just never gave it back," he said and shrugged. Hermione smiled, looking thoughtful. Draco settled down next to her and she looked to him.  
  
"Why did you want to show me this?" she asked calmly, not suspicious, gesturing to the photo. Draco smiled widely.  
  
"That picture was taken in second year, Hermione. Just before you were, ah..." he gulped slightly, "...petrified. I've looked at it everyday since... that is, until I started looking at the real you everyday. I have to admit that first I was admiring myself, but then everything changed, and I moved my sights to a new specimen," he told her, smiling the entire time, save a falter at the mention of her petrifaction. Hermione was smiling as well, looking at him as if he had said the most beautiful thing in the world.  
  
"Is that all I am; something to look at?" she asked, still smiling. Draco's faced dropped; everything was surreal **Did she even say that?** he wondered, thinking he had gone mad... or she had. "Oh, come on! I was just kidding. Draco, I think you hang around me too much, you're becoming just as paranoid as I am." She paused for a moment and Draco relaxed. Then he smirked, **Oh, is that how we're playing this game? Alright then...** Draco's face became serious and he nodded.  
  
"I think your right, I better go," he said, seriously. Draco saw Hermione's disappointment as he moved to get up and waited for her to say something before he spoke. Hermione was speechless, however, and Draco soon decided that was better. "Gotcha," he said seriously, then smiled as he settled himself back down next to her.  
  
Hermione looked outraged, but in the best possible way. She pushed him playfully and Draco just looked at her, smirking. Hermione then turned back to the picture, looking more closely at herself.  
  
"Draco, this is an absolutely horrid picture of me." She sighed, "That was so long ago...why did you keep this?" Now Hermione looked back to her blonde haired counterpart and looked for an answer. Draco looked a little depressed, but still happy. He sighed.  
  
"Well, I didn't have much of a choice. It was the only picture I had of you; curse Hogwarts for not having a yearbook," he said. Hermione smiled, he was so sweet. Then she thought of something.  
  
"A yearbook? How do you even know what that is?" she asked, curious. She had assumed only muggle schools had them, and Draco probably hadn't been within a mile radius of one in his life. Draco looked at her, semi- confused, but decided to just answer her.  
  
"They have them at Beauxbatons. My father willed me to attend there, due to his despisal of Dumbledore, but mother wanted me closer by. Lucius thought it over and agreed; this way making it easier to come and get me if the time came that I was needed. I believe it was the only thing they ever agreed on, come to think of it." He spoke dead tone and Hermione only made a weak reply, not knowing exactly what she could say.  
  
"Oh," she said quietly, and rather sadly. She looked to Draco who was smiling and forced herself to do the same, not sure why she felt so sad. Draco saw through her cover, though, and decided it best to change the subject.  
  
"So, why are you so sick of everything?" he asked, slipping an arm around her and pulling her closer to him. Hermione leaned against him and together they leaned against the chair behind them.  
  
"I don't know. It seems like we've been here forever and every day is exactly the same. I just want to be a part of the world again," she said in a rather sadly. Draco smirked, but she didn't see. His brain was silently contemplating a way to make her feel better and his wheels silently sparked an idea.  
  
"You know," he started, and Hermione knew the unexpected was coming. "No one ever said we had to stay here. We can go anywhere you like; my treat." NOW Hermione looked at him.  
  
"Draco, what are you talking about?" she asked, confused but intrigued. He smirked.  
  
"Well, Dumbledore did say we could go to Hogsmeade, and from there we can apparate just about anywhere." He said this calmly, but Hermione was getting excited. **Is he serious? Could we really do that?**  
  
"You can apparate?" she asked, curious. Draco looked at her as if that was the stupidest question he had ever heard.  
  
"Hermione, do you think Lucius would not do something just because it's illegal? I've been successfully able to apparate since I was about six. Oh, but don't worry; I turned 17 in June, therefore I had just enough time to get my license before school began," he told her calmly. Hermione laughed a little, how could she be surprised? Draco smiled, "So where do you want to go?" he asked.  
  
"Anywhere but here," she said before laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes. Draco smiled widely and warmly.  
  
"It's settled then; we'll go tomorrow. I'll think of somewhere, don't worry; you'll love it," he said, squeezing her close to him.  
  
"Our first date," she said, more to herself than to him. Draco looked a little surprised, but then the idea began to appeal to him.  
  
"Hermione," he asked, a little nervous, "Are we...a couple?" Hermione didn't flinch, didn't gasp, didn't even breathe. **Are we?** she wondered.  
  
"I-I don't know." She looked up at him, "Are we?" Draco looked down at her and kissed her lightly on the forehead. He knew she loved him, and he loved her more than anything.  
  
"I assumed so, but I guess not... or at least not officially," he said and she knew what he meant by that. She had assumed so also, and Hermione was happy that he had answered that way; it was a way to tell her he wanted to be, while at the same time leaving the decision up to her. She smiled at the fair haired boy she lovingly called Draco.  
  
"Well," she said, settling her head back into his chest and closing her eyes, comfortably close to him, "We'll have to do something about that, won't we?" she said suggestively. Draco smiled and kissed her head, smirking his trademark smirk. He was a bad influence on her and he knew it. Draco could only assume, but he was pretty sure she wasn't like this around her friends, and he liked it. Hermione wasn't sarcastic and cynical all the time, and Draco was glad; he had fallen in love with her other side. Her small remarks and clever sarcasm were just perks.  
  
  
  
A/N I know, I know....it's amazingly short.....but I wanted to start the trip out in a fresh chapter, so I had to stop there. I'm sorry. I'll get the next one up as soon as I can. Thanx!  
  
PRF:  
  
*karly* Okay okay....I do want it. Lol, thanx. I like to make them fight about little things, but I don't know if a they'll have a big fight or not. I just can't bear to break them up, even for a while. I read a fic the other day in which Draco couldn't admit that he loved Hermione, and she asked him to kill her, and he did and I'm like...no. Draco would NEVER do that. EVER.  
  
SnapeGirl- I don't think there's much more angst, or at least not as much as there was. Now it's mostly just trying to deal with their emotions and keep their relationship together. Plus a few other things to keep the story going.  
  
DragonGirl- thanx!  
  
MrsRadcliffe- Lol, I don't care if Hedwig is a girl and stupefy is red! This is my story, dammit! If I want owls to have sex changes, the owls will damn well have bloody sex changes! Thanx 4 reading! Lol  
  
Anon. - Thanx for your review, but leave a name next time!  
  
Gwyn- No, I totally HATE Percy. So much. So very very much. You know who I don't hate? Oliver Wood. Now there's a hott guy. No where near as hott as Draco, but still rather ravishing ;o)  
  
JoeBob1379- Okay, that Fang and the car thing....not really gonna fit into my story too well, in case you haven't guessed already, lol And I tried to get that point across. It's a good point. It should be put across. Lol.  
  
Melon- Thanks, and I put you on the list. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I apologize to you and everyone else for the semi-cliff hanger and super short chapter.  
  
Dark Vampire - so much for no D/H fic, huh? Lol. Thanx for reading and reviewing. I differ in opinion, though. Danny and Rupert aren't hott. Nope. Tom is SUPER hot, and that kid who plays Oliver Wood? That guy is hella hot. Not as hot as Tom, of course, but he's way hotter than anyone else in that movie.  
  
Anon. - what is it with you people and no names? I appreciate the review though, thanx!  
  
DrAcOLuVeR79- That would have been a dumb ass way to end it, lol, and j/ fyi (in case you haven't gathered by reading this chapter) they're not done yet.  
  
Dancing dolphin - Me too, that sucked. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Dreamfire- That's totally fine. I think we all wish we had a guy like my Draco. But we don't, he doesn't damn exist. I am just fabricating an unattainable guy whom I'm never going to find....setting myself up for failure. But its SOOOO much fun! 


	18. Evade of Delimitation

Disclaimer: Now it's time to tell you about young JKR. Archrival and nemesis to PassionPolice237. With powers comparable to PassionPolice237. What powers do you ask? How about the power to invent characters? Does that do anything for ya? That's creativity Holmes. How about the power to make money, from doing nothing 24 hours a day, with mind-bullets! That's pure laziness, Kyle. How about the power to piss you [off]? (Listen to the song WonderBoy by Tenacious D, if you're curious. Good song, by the way... inspired this disclaimer.)  
  
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Evade of Delimitation  
  
"Hermione? Hermione, wake up," a familiar voice sounded. Hermione opened her eyes a bit and smiled as she saw Draco's face a few inches from her own. As she was laying on her back, Draco could see she was a wake and grinned. "Hi," he said and she smiled.  
  
"Hi," she returned and paused. "What time is it?" Draco hesitated a moment, then looked at the clock.  
  
"Quarter after six," he sated simply, without concern. Hermione smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"And exactly why have I been awoken by a pale blonde boy in the wee hours of the morning?" she asked playfully. Draco smiled at her.  
  
"Well, my dear, we have a date today, if you recall, and I would like to be relatively near Hogsmeade before Filch wakes." He replied smoothly. Silently, Hermione agreed and she stretched and let out a deep sigh.  
  
"Can't we just knock him out or something?" she complained. Draco laughed and leaned over to kiss her. As much as she would have liked to stay in bed forever, this was a chance for Hermione to get out of the blasted castle...and be alone with Draco. Not that she wasn't usually alone with him, but this was different; their first date. The kiss had given her new energy, as well as a will to do whatever Draco asked of her.  
  
She broke away from him slowly, savoring the feeling of his lips on hers.  
  
"Well, if that's how it is, then it might do well for me to get ready, I dare say?" she said, smiling. Draco only lay still, watching Hermione. She sat up and looked at her Slytherin counterpart. "I suggest you do the same," she said, leaning closer. Their lips touched briefly and Hermione pulled away again unexpectedly. "...but I get the bathroom," she whispered before leaping out of bed and scurrying across the room.  
  
Unfortunately for Hermione, Draco had become accustomed to sleeping on the bedside nearest to the door, causing her to run around the entire bed before reaching the exit in an attempt to beat him to the bathroom. As Draco was closer and quicker, he beat Hermione, wrapping a strong arm around her small waist. She screamed in delight, laughing as he twirled her around and threw her gently back onto the bed.  
  
"Oh no you don't, Miss 'don't-ever-do-that-again-or-you'll-regret-it'. Aren't we being just a little hypocritical?" he asked as he climbed on top of her, smiling widely. Hermione giggled and placed her hands on his shoulders in a mock attempt at pushing him away.  
  
"Alright, alright! You win, I give up. Come here," she purred and Draco obeyed, leaning closer to her. She kissed him hard and deep, letting her bottled passion flow through her lips. Draco kissed back, matching her emotion. Hermione moaned in pleasure at the wonderful sensation and Draco backed off a little, thinking she was trying to tell him to stop; that it was too much. Hermione was a bit disappointed at this and kissed him deeper, scooping him back into it.  
  
Draco realized his mistake immediately and was more than willing to match Hermione's kiss. It was as if a battle had ensured; heads moved back and forth as they each tried to win over the other. When the end finally came, both the pale blonde boy and the wavy haired girl looked at each other, breathing hard and smiling.  
  
"I think I have more than finished what I started; can I go now?" she asked, smiling widely. Draco looked reluctant, but nodded. There would be time for this later. He kissed her again, short and sweet, not much more than a peck. Then he climbed off of her and Hermione smiled before sliding out form under him and off the bed. She walked to the door as if he weren't even there and Draco felt a little hurt. His uncertainty disappeared, though, when she turned to face him once more, with a smirk, before she slipped through the door.  
  
Draco sighed when she disappeared; he loved that girl way too much. He knew she loved him, but he couldn't believe that her love for him matched his for her, or even came close. Draco shook the thought away; **How dare I question her?** He gathered his clothes and other things he would need and proceeded to get ready. He knew Hermione well enough to know she would want the bathroom right away and had showered before waking her.  
  
Draco dressed and prepped himself before going out into the common room to wait for Hermione. he had never actually seen her get ready for anything big and important and didn't know how long it would take her. If she was anything like Pansy, it could be months.  
  
Draco shuttered at the comparison of Pansy and Hermione. That self- centered, obsessive, annoyingly unintelligent, airhead compared to his smart, sweet, and considerate love? Hermione beat her with no contest; she was absolutely perfect. Draco hoped she'd come out soon, not only because he wanted to get going, but because he wanted to prove to himself that she and Pansy were nothing alike.  
  
He got his wish. Hermione exited the bathroom fully clothed and ready within a half an hour. He couldn't help but be surprised and Hermione laughed when she saw this evident on his face.  
  
"What?" she asked, smiling. Draco snapped out of whatever time frame he was in and smiled too.  
  
"I didn't expect you ready that quickly," he said, almost shyly. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Oh? And why is that?" she asked, coming to sit next to him on the small common room sofa. Draco put an arm around her and shrugged.  
  
"Bad experiences," he said quietly. Hermione looked skeptical, so he finished with one word that would explain everything. "Pansy."  
  
"Ah," she said in understanding. "Well, you'll soon find that Miss Parkinson and I have very little in common," she said in defense.  
  
"I knew that already, Hermione," he told her. There was a brief silence, then Draco jumped as if he had been startled. "Are we ready then?" he asked. Hermione smiled and nodded, briefly wondering why it was more awkward to talk about Pansy than it was about Ron. She pushed the thought away quickly, not wanting Pansy and Ron in the same sentence.  
  
Draco stood, wearing casual muggle clothes and keeping his hair un-gelled, letting it fall over his face. He held out a hand to Hermione, who took it and stood beside him, eyes locked on his. She was clad in muggle clothes as well; a fitted black shirt and denim skirt, her hair smooth down her back, slightly waved. She smiled at him in his baggy jeans and dark green sweater; they looked good together.  
  
"I like your hair like that," she said, somewhat absent-mindedly, raising a hand to lightly run her fingers over Draco's fair locks.  
  
"I know," he said, smiling. Hermione smiled back as he leaned in to kiss her once more. It was brief and gentle, but still enjoyable.  
  
"I'll be right back, then we can go." She informed him while she turned away to head back to her room. Draco nodded once, watching her back recede into her room, not bothering to close the door behind her. She came out not a minute later, holding a pair of black gloves and her Gryffindor scarf, a black overcoat over her arm. Draco smiled; Hermione had been wearing a lot of black recently and he knew why. It was the same reason he always seemed to leave his hair un-gelled.  
  
He picked up his own coat and scarf from the sofa where he had placed them when he had entered, and met Hermione halfway to the portrait. He snaked an arm around her waist and she smiled up at him as they made their way to the door. The couple walked slowly out of the room and down the halls and many flights of stairs to the main hall. They stopped briefly before the main doors to don their extra layers, not caring if a teacher saw them; they could claim they were going for a walk on the grounds.  
  
Both Draco and Hermione had suspected that most of the teachers knew about their relationship. They were sure Dumbledore knew; he seemed to know everything, and chances are he had told most of the faculty. Frankly, they didn't care. Now that Harry and Ron knew and were okay with it, it didn't matter who else was informed. There would probably be some strange looks from not only members of Gryffindor and Slytherin, but all the students when they came back; a relationship like that was unheard of at Hogwarts. Draco and Hermione couldn't care less. Nothing seemed to matter to either of them except each other.  
  
The walk to Hogsmeade was a long one and the frigid morning breeze served as a good, but unneeded, excuse to walk closely, arms and waists entwined. The couple walked slowly, knowing they could stay away for days and only the house elves would notice. Hermione's head was on Draco's shoulder and she had closed her eyes, still tired from lack of sleep, as well as the current situation; the overpowering feeling of content left her exhausted. Suddenly, she stopped and her head perked up, eyes open again. Draco turned to her, seemly more startled than she was.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked, concerned. The girl blinked and shook her head, knocking away the trance. Hermione started walking again, almost as if nothing had happened. A slight bit of deep thought could be implied from her expression, but that was all. Draco wasn't going to let her off that easily. He started at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak. Hermione felt his eyes and looked up at him, expecting to see Draco looking straight ahead, but instead saw him looking at her. She made a small double take and shared his gaze.  
  
"What?" she asked, almost defensively. Draco looked embarrassed for a moment, then shook his head slightly and looked straight ahead. Hermione paid no attention to this and just continued walking hand in hand with her Malfoy. She smiled evilly; liking the sound of that sentence. "Hey Draco," she said after a moment, as if nothing had happened except their walking. He looked at her and smiled, deciding to just forget about the strange occurrence. "Do you think we should have left a note or something? Dumbledore has a habit of showing up when you least expect him to. Not that I want to go back; just an afterthought." Draco shrugged his shoulders and smiled, looking at the ground in front of him.  
  
"You worry too much," he stated and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right; but if we get back and they threaten to expel us, you kidnapped me." She said cheerfully. Draco smirked, an idea brewing in his head.  
  
"Maybe I should just actually kidnap you, then we won't have to lie," he said and picked her up by the waist. Hermione giggled with delight and called to him.  
  
"Ah! Put me down, Draco!" Draco almost did as she asked, but something changed his mind. He slung the small girl over his shoulder and started walking toward the gates to Hogsmeade. "Malfoy, put me down, now!" she yelled, kicking her legs a little and pounding lightly on his back, laughing uncontrollably the entire time.  
  
Once at the gates, Draco finally set her down. Her face was blushed and her hair ruffled, but he found her very attractive. Hermione straightened herself as best she could and looked up at Draco, who was smiling evilly.  
  
"So I'm back to Malfoy now?" he asked, replacing his grin with a fake pout. Hermione had to smile at the adorable look on his face.  
  
"Yes! I can't believe you did that!" she said, furious but happy. Draco leaned closer to her with a smirk on his face.  
  
"Well, would Malfoy do this?" he asked, kissing her firmly. Hermione kissed back and they broke away only to come back again with barely enough time for Hermione to answer between.  
  
"No, but..." she cut herself off with his lips. This kiss didn't last long before Hermione cut it off. She looked at Draco's shocked and hurt face with satisfaction. "Granger would have done that... and this," she said and slapped him. Hermione Granger took off her glove and actually slapped her boyfriend. It wasn't hard enough to hurt, but enough to make a sound. Draco looked at her, stunned, and she smiled innocently. He gave her the 'why you little...' look and Hermione shrieked. She tried to run away, but Draco had anticipated this and was ready. He caught her around the waist, but instead of hoisting her up on his shoulder, he smoothly spun her into his arms.  
  
"What was that for?" he asked, faking hurt. Hermione smile-smirked and contemplated a creative response.  
  
"Don't ask me, ask Granger," she answered. Draco smiled and kissed her again. Hermione didn't break away this time. "Hey, do you want me to slap you again?" she said when it was over; faking warning. Draco smiled and answered honestly.  
  
"If you want to, Hermione," he told her. She kissed him, subconsciously wondering how many people in the town were staring. Draco smiled when it was over. "Hey, I thought you were going to slap me," he said as they made their way into the small wizard town of Hogsmeade.  
  
"It's no fun if you're expecting it," she said smiling. Draco smirked and stopped walking. Hermione turned to him.  
  
"Okay then," he said, "Let's test the theory. Kiss me." Hermione saw no reason to object and did as he asked. Draco pretended to think for a moment then shook his head and started walking again.  
  
"Well?" Hermione asked, wondering what he was getting at.  
  
"I disagree; I knew you were going to do that, yet it was still fun." Hermione smiled and slid her hand back into his. Draco smiled back and they continued into the town.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The golden couple entered the small town of Hogsmeade and walked down a secluded path.  
  
"Draco, where are we going?" Hermione asked, realizing she had no idea. Draco stopped walking and she turned to him.  
  
"It's a surprise," he said smiling. "Nervous?" the pale boy asked, thinking it must be her first apparation. Hermione looked as if she were contemplating the question and weighing her emotions, then shook her head. She stepped closer to Draco and embraced him, placing her arms under his and her hands on his shoulders.  
  
"I trust you," she whispered. Draco smiled widely; that was the second best thing he'd ever heard her say. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close.  
  
"Thank you," he said and there was a pregnant pause. "Ready?" he asked and Hermione nodded, eyes still closed. "That's good," he continued, "because we're here."  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and looked at Draco in surprise. He was smirking and she smiled. Hermione had no choice but to look around, needing to see if they were still on the path. She was surprised to see very unfamiliar scenery surrounding her.  
  
It was a forest, but not like the forbidden forest. Here, there were tall redwood trees spaced rather far apart. Much unlike the forest she had visited only a few days ago, light shown through the trees; it was beautiful. Much to both their enjoyment; it was raining. Not hard, but a pleasant drizzle. Hermione looked at Draco with a wide smile. She didn't really care where they were, but she was curious. Hermione opened her mouth to ask, but Draco interrupted her.  
  
"Nope, not telling. Come on, I want to have as much time as possible before we have to leave," he said, sounding excited. Hermione was very curious now, but she thought better to wait; she would find out eventually. Draco had taken her hand and led her, what seemed to be deeper, into the forest. It wasn't long before they came to what looked like a deserted highway. "It's not much farther, I promise."  
  
Hermione smiled; she couldn't think of a time when she had seen him this happy. She followed Draco for maybe five more minutes before he stopped. He turned to her with a huge grin and spoke.  
  
"Close your eyes," the Slytherin commanded. Hermione thought about protesting, but shrugged her shoulders and did as he asked. Draco smiled and kissed her, then slid an arm around her waist and walked through a very large gate, which had seemed to be his reason for stopping. The couple stepped out into a crowded city street and Draco turned back to his companion.  
  
"Okay, you can open them now," he whispered to her and she obeyed. Hermione's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open. She looked at Draco, who was grinning.  
  
"A-are we.... is that-?" Hermione started, still in a shocked state of some sorts.  
  
"Seattle," Draco finished for her. Unexpectedly, Hermione shrieked and jumped at Draco; wrapping her legs around his waist and trapping his lips with hers. The force of her caused Draco to take a step back, but he was into the kiss as fast as she was. He smirked when they broke apart.  
  
"How did you know?" Hermione asked in a whisper, very excited, legs till wrapped around him. Draco's hands were on her back, supporting her and protecting her from falling.  
  
"How did I know what?" he asked, smiling. Draco really had no idea what she was talking about.  
  
"Call it serendipity, but I've always wanted to come here," she said, letting her fingers fiddle with a lock of golden hair behind his head. He smiled even more, overcome with irony.  
  
"Call it coincidental, but so have I," he said, then paused for effect. "Actually, that's why I brought you here; rather selfish really. I've always wanted to come for some reason, but never found anyone worth going with. Now I've go you," he explained with a semi-smirk. Hermione kissed him gently and smirked herself.  
  
"Well, if this is you selfish, I can't wait to see you generous, Malfoy." Hermione was smiling, but Draco wasn't. Her grin dropped too and her eyes filled with a bit of concern and confusion when she noticed his expression.  
  
"Please don't call me that, Hermione," he pleaded, sounding hurt.  
  
"What? I didn't mean it, Draco...I'm sorry," she said, still looking confused.  
  
"I know, it's just..." he paused and his hands pressed her closer to him. "...bad memories." Hermione didn't know what to say to this and left a heavy silence before reality clicked in. She realized their current position and blushed a little.  
  
"Oh! Sorry..." she said and hastily un-gripped her leg-lock from his waist. Draco smirked as she slid down to the ground.  
  
"Now THAT I didn't mind," he said and she blushed again. "I'm glad you're happy, love. Come on, we don't have much time before twilight." She looked confused for a moment, then realization struck her.  
  
"Oh! There's a time change, I didn't even think..." Hermione said and made as if to adjust her watch.  
  
"No, don't." Draco said, stopping her. "That's the time we have to go by; I'm thinking we should be back to the school by curfew if possible, so to save converting every five seconds, let's just leave your watch in England time," he suggested. Hermione nodded and looked blankly at her watch.  
  
"Wait, my watch is wrong. It says 830...there is no way it took us two and a half hours to get ready and walk to Hogsmeade." Draco shrugged.  
  
"No, it only took about an hour or so, but it took us an hour to apparate here. We're half a world away from home, love; that takes more than a split second, despite how it feels," he said smugly. Hermione nodded in understanding.  
  
"I guess that makes sense," she said, still looking a bit confused. Draco took her hand and they started walking. The rain had gotten a little harder, but neither were complaining.  
  
They walked a little deeper into the city and passed more and more buildings. Unexpectedly, Draco stopped and hailed a taxi. He whispered something to the driver as they got in and Hermione couldn't help but be surprised. Draco settled back next to her as the cab began to move.  
  
"Draco, how do you even know what a taxi is?" she asked, shocking even herself. "Sorry; I didn't mean that how it sounded." Draco laughed at her embarrassment.  
  
"No, it's okay. I'm not as ignorant to the muggle world as one may think; better to know your enemy before you can confront them, or something like that, so said my father." Hermione smiled weak and crookedly. Draco planted a kiss on her crooked lips and Hermione kissed him back. It was quick and when it ended, Hermione let Draco's arm slide around her and laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him kiss her head softly and didn't bother to ask where they were going; she knew he wouldn't tell her, and as long as he was with her, Hermione didn't particularly care.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The taxi stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned shop of some sort. Hermione was more surprised that Draco knew to pay the driver with muggle money however, and American muggle money at that. They exited the yellow cab and Draco pulled Hermione toward the empty building. **I'm not even going to attempt to ask** she thought and just followed him.  
  
Draco turned to her with a smile as they made it to the door. Hermione looked back at him with a look that was a somewhat suspicious. He opened the door and Hermione was surprised to see it full of people. Well, not full; but there was a good number of men and women who were obviously witches and wizards inside. It was a large room and very clean; everything looking shiny and new. The bartender looked up from his hands, which were currently shining the counter in front of him. Hermione looked behind him to the wooden signs scribed with intricate calligraphy. Her eyes breezed through the lists and she smiled as realization hit her. **A coffee shop; how adorable...** Draco stepped up to the counter and Hermione followed.  
  
He proceeded to order a seemly complicated drink, then turned to Hermione.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have asked what kind of coffee you like before..." Draco began but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"Oh, no! That would have given it away," she said and turned to the man behind the counter. The bartender smiled as he realized that they were a couple. "I'll have the same, please," Hermione said with a smile. The man looked quizzically at Draco, who looked surprised but just shrugged.  
  
"Right then, your order will be up momentarily. Please have a seat and I shall alert you when your drinks are ready." Draco smiled and they walked to an empty table and sat, speaking very little as they waited. Hermione could hardly contain herself and thanked him repeatedly.  
  
"This is so great, Draco. You're amazing," she said, eying him affectionately. He smirked at her lovingly.  
  
"I'm glad you're having fun, but beware as this is going to get even better." Hermione smiled at him and Draco laughed. "Don't even think about it, love; I'm not telling."  
  
"Order up!" the bartender called, looking at them. Draco smiled at her and proceeded to go back up to the counter. Hermione watched him, and noticed that he paid for the coffee with wizard money and not muggle. He returned with their drinks in no time and smirked evilly as he handed one to Hermione. Draco sat back down and watched her; Hermione felt a little self conscious, but didn't say so.  
  
"Thanks," she said, taking the cup. Draco laughed a little, his loving smile returning to his face.  
  
"Thank me after you taste it. Go on," he said, taking a sip of his own coffee. Now Hermione was uneasy, but decided to just drink it; she had to try it sometime. Cautiously, she lifted the cup to her mouth and let the warm, dark, fluid pass through her lips. Uncontrollably, she made a face of utter disgust and raised a hand to her mouth as her eyes began to water. Draco laughed, "I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't like it, but when you ordered it I couldn't resist. I'm horrible, here... let me get you something else."  
  
"No, it's alright," she interrupted, "I just wasn't expecting that." Hermione took another sip of the unbearably strong and bitter drink, asking herself why. She didn't like it, but Draco did.  
  
"Whatever you want, Hermione," he said, smiling. After about half a cup, Hermione got used to the foreign taste and almost began to like the new sensation. It gave her an incredibly warm feeling inside. "Okay, I have to talk to you about some stuff. I have the day planned for keeps until about one-thirty our time. The rest of the itinerary is planned, but I need your opinion before we go for sure." She nodded and he continued. "Well, I'm thinking we leave the city between one-thirty and two, then it's back to the forest, then back to England." He paused and took a deep breath. "How would you feel about visiting Ron and Harry?"  
  
Hermione, who had just taken a sip of her coffee, was nearly forced to spit it out. She was shocked at his question, but it didn't sound that bad. She was speechless, however, and just gaped at him. Draco looked nervous and tried to explain.  
  
"I wrote Mrs. Weasley to ask if that would be alright and if so, not to tell them so it would be a surprise. I told her you didn't know, so we may have a change of plans if you didn't want to. Everything is set, but the decision is ultimately yours."  
  
"Draco," she said after a moment, "...how do you always know exactly how to impress me?" Hermione asked and Draco smiled, looking relieved.  
  
"Is that a yes? You don't feel obligated, do you? I was afraid of that," he asked, serious.  
  
"No, I want to go. I'm just a little shocked; you never seize to amaze me," she told him and he smiled.  
  
"I try." There was a pause for effect before he continued. "Okay, so we stay with the Weasleys for a few hours, then I was hoping we would make one more stop before going home." Draco said and Hermione looked suspicious. He looked incredibly nervous to be asking her something; it wasn't normal. "Hermione, would you like to accompany me to my manor? I would love for you to meet my mother."  
  
Now Hermione was shocked. She had unofficially met Mrs. Malfoy in forth year and she didn't seem like a pleasant person. She looked at Draco, who was watching her with pleading and expectant eyes. Hermione couldn't say no to him.  
  
"Draco, I would love to," she said, smiling. Draco looked ecstatic; and Hermione almost regretted what she was about to ask. "Are you sure she'll want to meet me?" she asked timidly. Hermione didn't want to upset him when he was so happy, but she had to know. To her surprise and relief, Draco's expression did not change. He nodded, still smiling.  
  
"Don't worry; she's nothing like my father. She knows about your ancestry and isn't bothered by it; in fact, Mum asked me to bring you home. It was her idea. So you'll come?" he asked, hoping. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Of course I will; anything for you, Draco." Both teens smiled. If the table between them had not been so awkwardly shaped, Draco would have kissed her.  
  
A strange beeping was heard and Draco dropped his gaze from Hermione to his watch. Then, he looked back to her, still smiling. He stood from his chair and took Hermione's hand in his own.  
  
"We have to go now, or we'll be late!" he exclaimed, attempting to pull her from her chair. Hermione stood and followed him as he rushed to the door.  
  
"Late for what?" she asked, not expecting him to tell her. He didn't say anything, but pulled Hermione back out to the street. Draco once again hailed a taxi and whispered something to the driver. When they had settled down again and the cab was on it's way, Hermione spoke. "You know, this whole 'I'm not telling, you'll find out soon enough' thing is getting frustrating," she said with a smile so Draco would know she wasn't upset. He smirked.  
  
"Would you rather I tell you and ruin the surprise?" he asked, sarcastic.  
  
"No," Hermione said and laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
"That's what I thought," he said smirking. Draco kissed her head softly and placed an arm around her shoulders. The cab ride to wherever they were going was longer than the ride to the coffee shop. Hermione noticed that Draco looked repeatedly at his watch, but didn't comment. It was cute how he was so worried that they would be late to the undisclosed event.  
  
When the cab stopped, Hermione was not surprised to see a deserted street. All this time with Draco Malfoy had taught her, if anything, that things are never what they seem. Draco paid the cabby and they exited the taxi. He led Hermione down the street and turned into an alleyway. If this were anyone other than Draco, Hermione would have been terrified. She wasn't, but Draco understood that she might be and turned to her as they hurried across the damp, dark, cobblestones.  
  
"Don't worry; this isn't what it looks like," he said smiling. Hermione smiled too; she felt safe with him.  
  
"I certainly hope not!" she exclaimed and laughed. "I knew it wasn't, Draco. I know you well enough to be sure of that," she said as if it were obvious. Suddenly, Draco stopped. He looked at Hermione and smiled.  
  
"You think you know me pretty well, don't you?" he asked and she blushed a little **What am I supposed to say to that?** she wondered, but didn't have time to ask. Draco started walking again, not so quickly, and was dragging her behind him. He made a sharp right turn and the Hogwarts golden couple found themselves face to face with a very big and very tall man in a dark suit. The man said nothing for a moment, but Hermione felt relived when he spoke. She had been afraid upon meeting him and didn't notice how calm Draco was.  
  
"Do you have a reservation?" the man asked in a deep and unenthusiastic voice. Hermione looked from the man to Draco and was relieved to see that her cohort was smirking.  
  
"Yes; for two. Under Malfoy," he said simply. The man looked from the blonde boy to the timid girl and back to the boy. He didn't seem to believe them. The gorilla-like man snapped his fingers and a clipboard materialized in front of him. He sneered as he came across a name on the list. The man placed his hand on the wall behind him and it melted away.  
  
"Table three," he said, sounding disgusted. Draco turned to Hermione and smiled. He gave her hand a squeeze and led her into the darkness behind the now nonexistent wall. They walked through what seemed like a long corridor, and at the end found an inconspicuous door.  
  
"Shall we?" Draco asked as they came upon the door. Hermione looked at it, noticing the words 'The Silver Cloak' written on it in big gold letters. She turned back to him, smiling.  
  
"Don't ask me, I have no idea where we are," she said. Draco shrugged a little with a smirk.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes," he said and opened the door. Hermione gasped in awe at the room that lay before her.  
  
It was a large dinner theater, complete with talkative customers. Oddly, neither Draco nor Hermione could hear them, but they both knew why; silencing charm. Rows and rows of small tables formed arches around a very large stage area. Hermione tore her eyes away from the beautifully vast room and landed them on Draco (A/N: not a bad transition, really); he was smiling.  
  
"Don't jump on me, Hermione; that might not look so good," he said smirking. Hermione hit Draco playfully and he returned by sweeping her into a kiss. Hermione kissed back with full force, but impelled herself to cut it off prematurely.  
  
"Draco, people are staring," she said, breathless in his arms.  
  
"Since when do we care what other people think?" he asked, almost in an equal state to her.  
  
"Good point," she said and kissed him again. Draco was the one to end it this time.  
  
"Come on, the show's going to start soon," he said, sounding disappointed and happy at the same time. Hermione nodded and he took her hand. Together they stepped through the door and together they noticed the difference. The second the couple crossed the threshold, the chatter and laughter of over a hundred witches and wizards graced their ears.  
  
Draco led Hermione down a few flights of stairs to a table level with the stage. A card inscribed with the number three stood at the center and Hermione's eyes grew wide. Their table was right in front of the stage.  
  
Draco pulled out her chair and Hermione sat, keeping her eyes glued on her blonde date. He smiled and sat in the chair next to hers. Laughing, he noticed her stare.  
  
"See something you like, Granger?" he asked, breaking her trance. Hermione blinked, then smirked.  
  
"Yes, but if I can't call you Malfoy, you can't call me Granger," she said, scooting her chair closer to the table.  
  
"Deal," he said just as the lights began to blink. "Oh! Show starts in five minutes; better order our dinner while we can still read the menus," Draco suggested, picking up the leather bound parchment that lie in front of him. Hermione followed suit and all was silent as they read through the choices.  
  
"Hey Draco, what's Belle-" Hermione started but Draco cut her off.  
  
"No, don't say it unless you're sure you want it; I learned that the hard way." Hermione laughed a little and he smirked at her.  
  
"Right, thanks for reminding me," she said and turned back to the menu. Both she and her date had decided on and ordered their meals just as the lights began to blink again. This time, however, they ended up off. Ultimately, the couple need not have ordered so quickly; a selection of candles materialized in the center of their table, shedding enough light for them to be able to read the menus perfectly well.  
  
Obviously, this was a wizard dinner theater, and a wizard theater differs in many ways from a muggle one. For instance; there are no waiters or waitresses walking around interrupting the show. When a person is ready to order a meal, they must simply hold the menu and state the name of the item. Instantly, the food will silently appear in front of them. Also, there is much less noise in a wizard theater, as everyone and everything is subjected to a silencing charm prior to the show, letting guests only converse with those in their party.  
  
No sooner had the lights been offed and the candles appeared did the curtain open to reveal a beautiful scenery and a costumed cast. Then, music started and a title sign was floated across the stage. It bore four words; 'Beauty and the Beast'. Hermione gasped and turned to look at Draco, who was smirking.  
  
"I thought you'd like that," he said and smiled. Hermione smiled back and turned to watch the show.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The cast was talented, the music beautiful, and the scenery literally magical. Hermione enjoyed everything about the show and was glad to discover that Draco laughed and cried in all the right places. Literally, he didn't cry, but Hermione knew he felt the proper emotion toward each scene. To her, he had always seemed unpredictable, but she was glad it was in an appropriate way. The silencing charm was taken off of the crowd in just enough time for the applause to be heard.  
  
  
  
A/N see? This chapter is about four pages longer than usual, making up for the shortness of 17. There you go, I'm fair. Let me know if you like this, I wanted to make them have some sort of date....I love Seattle, hehe.  
  
PRF  
  
dEsTiNy- I agree. Here you go, and don't worry....there's more fun date- like stuff coming up!  
  
*Karly* - Thanx! I don't know if mine is BETTER per-say....but I defiantly have a better Draco. Hehe. And I'm glad you think so, you are too!  
  
Carla- The BEST? Are you sure? Exactly how MANY d/hr stories have you read? Lol...thanx 4 reading, I appreciate it....and I've put you on the mailing list, obviously!  
  
Gwyn- The chapters are a coming, and don't worry... I have totally ditched the idea of having a BETA reader. Hasapi (if you're reading this) can still send me beta reports if she wants to, but I'm posting chapters with or without them. I'm just not a very patient person. So, as soon as I get the time to edit and correct them myself, expect at least the next seven or eight chapters in pretty close succession.  
  
Heather - Not to spoil anybody's time, but they will; don't worry....but not until after the trip, and after some pretty close calls and flirting with the idea. Just be patient. It won't be for like 20chapters, lol, but it's written, and I did NOT go into detail. I'm way to....inexperienced to be any good at that. 


	19. Emeralds in the Emerald City

CHAPTER NINETEEN: Emeralds in the Emerald City  
  
The play had lasted two hours and it was now almost twelve thirty England time. Hermione and Draco exited the Silver Cloak and walked back through the dark alleyways to the deserted street they had seen not so long ago. The couple walked a little slower this time; no longer on a time budget. As they reached the street, they continued walking; no taxis could be found rounding this secluded section of the city.  
  
"Are you having fun yet?" Draco asked, smiling.  
  
"Yes," she stated and smiled, looking up at him. Then Hermione turned her gaze back ahead of her. "You're amazing, I can't believe you did all of this."  
  
"Only for you, Juliet," he said and Hermione's head automatically snapped up to look at him again.  
  
"What did you just call me?" she asked, trying to sound outraged, but succeeding in only disbelief. Draco looked at her, smiling crookedly.  
  
"Juliet, as in Romeo and Juliet; my current conquest. While reading it, I couldn't help but notice similarities between it and our situation. I'm sorry, it just... slipped I guess," he explained, hoping she wouldn't be mad. Hermione smiled and rested her head on his arm for a moment.  
  
"You scared me for a second there, Romeo," Hermione said, squeezing his hand.  
  
"Hermione, I can't believe you! How could you think that?" Draco asked, sounding more hurt than angry.  
  
"I didn't, not really. I couldn't believe my accusation myself. I'm sorry," she paused, "Yet, this is a question coming from the man who once asked me if I thought he was annoying, then later if I was sick of him," she said, showing him up and smirking.  
  
"Good point, now can we stop fighting? Nothing has gone wrong so far and I don't want to tarnish the record," he pleaded, sounding like it was very important. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I didn't really think we were fighting, but yes; I'll stop," she said as they broke into a crowded street. Draco smiled and hailed another taxi. **Oh great, more of the 'I'm not telling until we get there' act. Oh, who am I kidding? I know I love it,** Hermione thought as she followed Draco into the cab.  
  
"Last stop in Seattle," he informed her as the cab to move. Hermione smiled.  
  
"It better be good then," she said sarcastically. Draco smirked happily.  
  
"Oh it is, love. Trust me."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Twenty minutes later, the couple found themselves on the observation deck of the Space Needle. Hermione's eyes had been glued on the beautiful cityscape that was show through the window since their arrival and although Draco had to admit that the night made the city very pleasant to the eye, he had grown tired of it after a while.  
  
Instead, he had taking to staring at Hermione as she blissfully looked through the large portal. He sighed and walked from his place beside her to his familiar position behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and gently placing his chin on her head. Hermione sighed as he enclosed her and placed her hands on top of his.  
  
"Why are you so perfect?" she asked quietly. Draco was taken a little aback, but the moment was too heavy to be surprised.  
  
"Hermione, I am far from perfect, but I could ask the same of you," he replied smoothly.  
  
"Yeah well...I'll believe that when I see it." Draco said nothing, but kissed her head softly. "Hey Draco, how did you plan all this over night? We didn't decide to go anywhere until yesterday."  
  
"Yes and no. I've been meaning to tell you about that. I've been planning this trip for a week; Dumbledore knows all about it, he gave me permission to take you; said he thought you needed a vacation. I used one of those travel brochures in the library that update themselves magically to book the reservations and everything. It was just a coincidence that you mentioned wanting to leave yesterday; I was planning on just dragging you out of bed this morning and surprising you," he said calmly. Hermione was almost shocked, but instead was overcome with love for him. **That is so incredibly sweet, it hurts,** she thought to herself.  
  
"What? When did you have time to do all of that?" Hermione asked, honestly not knowing when it was possible.  
  
"Well, I haven't been doing as much studying as you think I have. I did leave a note on the library door in case you came looking for me, though," he told her, knowing she would appreciate it.  
  
"Thanks for that, then; if I came looking and couldn't find you I would have thought the worst..." she paused before continuing and almost changed the subject. "Why did you set this up? If you didn't do it for me, what was your motive?" she asked, curious.  
  
"I did do it for you, love. Well, for us. I just didn't do it because you told me you wanted out. I have something that I want to give you and I didn't want to do it in the little cell we call our quarters." Hermione looked confused, but did not speak. **Give me something? What could he possibly want to give me that is important enough to take me a world away from home to do so?** she wondered.  
  
Draco only waited a moment before he stepped around next to her. Hermione turned to him and couldn't help but smile at the stupid-happy look on his face. Draco extracted something from his robe pocket with his hand and held it lovingly. Hermione looked down and his hands and felt her pupils grow wide and her heart leap into her throat. Tucked inside his loving fingers was a small black velvet box.  
  
Draco opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring Hermione had ever seen. She placed a hand on her chest, just below her neck, speechless. The ring was a platinum silver, it's simplistic beauty accented by the tiny round rubies and emeralds which alternated around the circumference of the band. Draco let the shock subside a little before speaking. He waited, and as Hermione looked from the ring to his smiling face and back to the ring, he broke the silence.  
  
"It's a promise ring. I promise myself to you, Hermione Granger. I am yours; do with me what you will," he said, smirking. When Hermione didn't move, merely remained silent, gawking at the box in his hands, he began to get a little nervous. "It's lame, I know, but I wanted to prove to you how much you mean to me. I love you, Hermione." Hermione swallowed, her mouth feeling very dry. She shook her head slowly and looked up at him.  
  
"No, it's the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I'm speechless," she said, unable to say anything more. Draco was beaming.  
  
"Will you do me the honor of wearing it, my dear?" he asked, sincere and professionally. Hermione nodded, a tear running down her face. She paused a moment before being able to speak.  
  
"I would love to," she said as another tear feel. Draco smiled widely and made quick to extract the ring from it's holster and slip the box back into his pocket. He held out a hand to Hermione and she placed hers in his. Draco managed to slip the ring on her finger, despite the shaking she was doing. Hermione started at her hand in awe; it fit perfectly and looked beautiful.  
  
She looked back up at the amazing blonde boy who had become so good at leaving her speechless. He was smiling at her as she tried to wipe away her tears. She flung her arms around him and squeezed Draco close to her as the happiness secreted from her like heat.  
  
"I love you, Draco Malfoy," she whispered into his ear.  
  
"And I you, Hermione Granger," he whispered back and squeezed her tight before pulling back to look at her. He kissed her, long and passionate. Behind the kiss was all the emotion they felt at that moment, making it seem like more than a simple display of affection. To the two experiencing it, it was like a transformation; as if the world was now their own and only they mattered.  
  
"So, are we officially a couple now?" Draco asked when they broke apart. Hermione smiled and gave him the answer he was looking for.  
  
"I wouldn't have it another way," she said. Draco smiled and made as if to kiss her again, but then he stopped. His eyes grew a little wide and he looked at her.  
  
"Hermione, what time is it in England?" he asked, looking toward her wrist. She moved her watch into her field of vision and stated simply;  
  
"Quarter after one."  
  
"I told Mrs. Weasley we'd be there around two. We should go, as much as I hate to stop this; I don't want them thinking we aren't coming," he said and smiled crookedly. Hermione nodded and kissed him, wanting one more taste before they had to go.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The two made their way to the street below, hand in hand. Hermione kept her thumb on the ring, liking the feeling of it on her finger as well as the meaning behind it. Hermione was too love-struck to realize what was going on around her, save the spinning ring and the tall blonde Slytherin.  
  
Draco hailed a cab and proceeded in his ritual of whispering to the driver before settling into the seat next to Hermione.  
  
"You know, this is the first time today that I actually know where we're going, save the trip to Hogsmeade. You really didn't have to whisper," she said, running her thumb along her ring.  
  
"Oh I didn't, did I?" he said mysteriously and turned to look out the window. It had been raining all day, somewhere between a drizzle and an umbrella-worthy shower, but neither had minded. Both had to admit to themselves that it was one of their reasons to love the city, but neither told the other.  
  
The cab stopped in front of the gate they had used to enter the city. Draco paid the man and led Hermione out of the car. They stood on the sidewalk as it drove away, taking one last glimpse of the city. Hermione took a deep breath and let it all out in a blissful sigh.  
  
"Draco, this has been the best day I've ever had," she said, face pointed toward the sky, eyes closed.  
  
"Don't say that; it's not over yet," he whispered into her ear. There was a long pause before he took her hand. I'm sorry, we really have to go." Draco said, sounding reluctant to leave as well. Hermione nodded and followed Draco away from the city she loved.  
  
They passed through the door and walked briskly down the abandoned highway. Hermione looked thoughtful and turned to Draco, smiling to match the look on his face.  
  
"Draco, can we move to Seattle after we graduate?" she asked and Draco turned to look at her, not sure if serious or not, but not really caring. He brightened his smile and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly and squeezing for a moment.  
  
"Sure, love," he said and turned back to the road ahead. Hermione sighed heavily, thinking how wonderful it would be if that dream were to come true. She couldn't help but smile as her mind played the image of Draco in a black bathrobe, sitting at a small kitchen table reading the paper and she coming around beside him with a plate of pancakes and a pot of coffee, seeing them share a small kiss as the rain poured down the windows, blurring the beautiful cityscape.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Finally, the two made it back to their original spot in the woods. Hermione stood in front of him, hands in his, and Draco smiled.  
  
"Close your eyes," he said and Hermione looked at him quizzically.  
  
"Why?" she asked, almost suspiciously.  
  
"Well, it's going to be a lot brighter back home than it is here; I found out the hard way that keeping your eyes open is not the best way to make that transition," he informed her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Do you ever find anything out the easy way?" she asked with a semi-smirk. Draco shrugged.  
  
"Nope," he said simply and Hermione giggled a little. She was expecting a little more than that in reply. Hermione took a step toward him and let her arms curl around Draco's shoulders. She closed her eyes and waited. "Ready?" he asked and Hermione nodded. Before Draco could speak again, two other voices rang out.  
  
"Hermione!" they called in unison. Hermione recognized those voices to be those of Harry and Ron and opened her eyes immediately. The blinding light caused her to blink a few times before she could make out famous blonde Slytherin staring back at her with a smirk.  
  
"I told you," he said then paused. "We're here. Go on now, greet your friends," he said and Hermione smiled. She sighed happily and kissed his cheek.  
  
"I love you," she whispered, inaudible to anyone but Draco. Then, she let her arms slide away from him. Hermione spun her head in the direction of the voices and was excited to see both Harry and Ron standing a few feet away; wide eyed but smiling crookedly. She giggled as she realized how this must look to them; Ron who had never seen them together and happy at the same time and Harry who had never seen them do more than sit in the same room as each other. Hermione made quick to come closer and hug them.  
  
"Harry, Ron! I've missed you guys so much!" Then she pulled back and looked at them, "I thought you didn't know I was coming?" she said and both boys blushed.  
  
"I had to tell them, dear. If I hadn't they'd still be out playing Quidditch with Ginny." The familiar voice of one Molly Weasley said as she walked from the front door closer to the four teens. It was then that Hermione realized where they were; the burrow, as promised. She smiled.  
  
"I can't say I'd be surprised. It's good to see you again, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said as she approached the older woman and embraced her.  
  
"The same to you, dear. Come now, let's all go inside, it's freezing out here. These two have been out here for an hour waiting for you; I told them you might not even come, but be damned if they listen to me," she said, smiling. Hermione laughed. "Ginny's inside; she was smart enough to wait for you where it's warm." Hermione, Ron, Harry, and, although a bit uneasy, Draco, followed the woman into her home.  
  
It was surprising to Harry and Ron that he didn't make a comment about the house, but Hermione didn't even think of it. She would have been more surprised if Draco did say something.  
  
Mrs. Weasley led them into the living room where an anxiously awaiting Ginny sat on one of the couches, tapping her feet in anticipation.  
  
"Hermione!" she yelled and jumped up, embracing Hermione as if she hadn't seen her in years. Hermione laughed wheezily.  
  
"Hello Ginny; I'm glad you're happy to see me, but could you maybe let go? I can't breathe..." she said and Ginny let go.  
  
"Sorry Hermione," she said, almost blushing. Hermione laughed and placed a hand on her stomach.  
  
"It's alright, Ginny," she said as Draco walked up behind her. Ginny looked to the Slytherin and was surprised to see him smiling. In reality, of the whole clan, Hermione was the only one to ever see him genuinely smile like that, and the red-headed girl was taken aback.  
  
"Sit children, I'll bring you some tea," Mrs. Weasley said as she receded to the kitchen. Draco flinched automatically and Hermione was close enough to feel it. She looked over her shoulder at him sympathetically; sad she couldn't comfort him. He smiled at her and she felt a little better.  
  
The five teenagers did as the woman asked, sitting on the two couches that faced each other. Hermione smiled to Draco as Harry and Ron pulled her to sit between them and Draco shrugged his shoulders, sitting on the opposite couch with Ginny. The younger girl seemed to be trying to sit as far away from him as possible without looking suspicious. Mrs. Weasley was true to her word and brought in a tin pot of tea and some cups. She sat herself in the empty seat between Draco and Ginny and didn't seem to mind at all.  
  
Mrs. Weasley distributed the tea, first to Hermione, then Harry and Ron, and next to Draco. He accepted the cup with a smile, but as the cheery woman tuned away, he looked uncertainly at Hermione. She nodded small-ly, smiling. He looked very nervous and reluctant, but Draco forced himself to bring the tea to his lips and drink it, heart beating rapidly. Hermione watched him for a moment, smiling reassuringly, then fell into the simple conversation that had been started.  
  
"Everything's been so quiet since Fred and George moved out," Mrs. Weasley said as if she were angry with them for doing so.  
  
"Can you imagine what school will be like without them, Hermione?" Ron asked, noticing her silence. She looked at him and smiled.  
  
"Yes, I can Ron. In case you've forgotten, I've been spending the last few months there with practically no one; it's eerie for the school to be that quiet," she said and Ron smiled. **There's our Hermione,** he thought.  
  
The conversation carried on for a few hours, talking about nothing of much importance. All present made sure to avoid anything that might lead to talk of Percy or his actions the week before. Mrs. Weasley left at sometime only to return with a plate of sandwiches. She placed the food and self refilling tea pot with the children and left them to their own devices, busing herself in the kitchen.  
  
Draco remained quiet most of the time, only speaking when spoken to. He was not sure how to act around her friends and didn't want to say something wrong. He looked out the window and almost gasped. Draco then waited for a conversation break before speaking out.  
  
"Um, Hermione? I hate to interrupt, but what time is it? My watch is still in Seattle time." He asked almost timidly. Harry and Ron looked at him suspiciously, but Hermione just looked at her watch.  
  
"Oh, we should go...it's almost five thirty," she said and turned her head first to Harry, then to Ron.  
  
"Seattle time?" Harry asked and Hermione looked back to him.  
  
"I really don't have time to explain now," she said and stood. Harry, Ron, and Draco all stood just after her, at the same time. Hermione giggled at the fact then turned to the sleeping Ginny on the sofa. "Bye Gin," she said, smiling. "I'll see you guys in a few weeks," she told Harry and Ron, kissing them each lightly on the cheek. Both boys smiled and nodded. Then, Hermione turned to her boyfriend, smiling at the word she could finally use to describe him. "Coming?" she asked politely. Draco nodded and followed her to the door, as did Harry and Ron.  
  
Hermione walked out onto the lawn and stopped, waiting for Draco. He came up to her and she took his hands in hers. Harry and Ron stayed a few feet away and Draco wasn't sure if it were out of courtesy or if they were afraid to get too close. Hermione looked at him for a moment then turned to Harry and Ron and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"We'll write you, Hermione!" Harry said and she nodded with a smile. Draco waited a moment before speaking.  
  
"Ready?" he asked, and she looked at him. Hermione closed her eyes and nodded. Draco said nothing more and Hermione waited for something to happen. Something did; he kissed her. Hermione's first instinct was to pull away, thinking Harry and Ron would be gawking. She did the opposite, however. The thought of their faces like that gave her an evilly good feeling and she kissed back.  
  
They broke apart and Hermione fluttered open her eyes. She smiled at the blonde boy above her and then turned to where she expected to see her friends. To her surprise, Hermione saw no one and realized that they were no longer in front of the burrow. She turned back to Draco, smiling evilly.  
  
"Did they see?" she asked, almost hoping. Draco shook his head and her smile dropped. She smiled again, but this one was sweet, not evil. Draco looked confused.  
  
"Did you want them to?" he asked, looking unsure. She looked as if she were thinking for a moment, then turned back to her boyfriend.  
  
"I don't see why not," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"I'm glad you think that." He paused before continuing. "I'm hoping it's needless to say, but we can't in front of my mother. I'm not exactly sure how she would react; I've never brought anyone home before," he said, smiling crookedly.  
  
"Should I be flattered?" she asked sarcastically. Draco shrugged and smiled a little.  
  
"If you want to, Hermione." She didn't answer, just kissed him. He smiled when they broke apart and whispered in her ear. "I love you too." Hermione breathed deeply, inhaling the scent that was of Draco Malfoy. They stood there for a moment, then Draco pulled away. "Come on," he said, taking her hand in his own, "She's expecting us."  
  
Hermione took another deep breath and nodded. Draco started walking through what Hermione assumed was a garden, and she followed. They broke out of the dimly lit foliage and into an open back yard. Hermione looked up from the ground and gapped at the vast manor before her. She felt a shiver slide up her spine and shuddered as she rethought what she was about to do.  
  
"Nervous?" Draco asked, sliding an arm around her waist. Hermione didn't move except to answer and swallow hard.  
  
"A little," she said, high-pitched. He kissed her cheek lightly and smiled.  
  
"Don't be," he reassured her. Draco moved forward, breaking Hermione's stiff stance. She had paled and was now looking terrified. "Calm down, you'll be fine, I promise." Hermione nodded and tried to smile.  
  
Hermione managed to compose herself a little more as Draco stepped up to the door and slammed the big brass knocker. Hermione flinched, a little jumpy. He stepped back next to her and waited for something to happen. In less than a minute, the door was opened and a small female house elf appeared. Hermione was surprised to see her wearing muggle children's clothes.  
  
"Fristy? Is that you!?" Draco said in excitement. The little house elf's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Draco!" she said and jumped into Draco's waiting arms. Hermione watched the scene in amazement and compassion; it was adorable. "Draco, you've been gone forever!" the little elf said as he put her down.  
  
"I know; I've missed you." He stood and looked over to Hermione. "Fristy, I want you to meet a friend of mine; this is Hermione. Hermione, meet Fristy." Hermione smiled down at the little elf and raised her hand in a pathetic wave. Fristy looked up at her with surprised eyes. The elf then turned her gaze back to Draco with a sarcastic smile.  
  
"A girl? You've never brought home a girl before. Is she your girrrrl- friend?" she asked mockingly. Both Draco and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Something like that," he said and looked lovingly at Hermione. She thought she saw a flash of jealousy in the little elf's eyes and Hermione was reassured when Fristy sneered at her. Draco turned his eyes back to the elf and she smiled. "Fristy, do you know where mother is; she's expecting us," he asked, still smiling.  
  
"Um, I think she's in the parlor, Draco," Fristy said and stepped to the side. Draco took Hermione's hand and led her into the large entry hall.  
  
"Thanks; say hello to your mother for me. We'll try and come up before we leave, but that depends on Mother," Draco said to the elf before walking toward a long hallway. Fristy waved as Hermione followed Draco; not that she had much choice, as he was dragging her behind him.  
  
"Draco," she said, catching up to him. He looked to her and she continued. "Draco, I think Fristy has a crush on you," she said, smiling deviously. Draco almost blushed, but turned his eye forward again.  
  
"Hmm," he said, "Clara said the same thing, but I didn't believe her. Is it that obvious?" he asked, curious. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Only when you're not looking. You should have seen the look she gave me when you told her I was your girlfriend." Draco smiled at that; **Hermione Granger is MY girlfriend.** "Who's Clara?" she asked after a moment. Draco stopped walking and Hermione followed suit.  
  
"Her sister. Their mother and father have worked for us for years. When my father died, we didn't want to keep them as house-elves anymore, but they had no where else to go. Now they just live here; like a part of the family. This house is much too big for me and Mother anyway, and almost the entire second floor is all theirs now.  
  
"It's just Fristy, Clara, Penny, their mother, Blandon, their father, and the newest member, Lucifer. I think he's about five months old now; that's it, we have to go up there...I must see him. Ah, but first, I believe we have an appointment in the parlor?" he finished and moved his hand to knock on a simple wooden door. Hermione, who had been smiling while listening to his speech, now frowned a bit and paled, knowing what must lie behind that petty door.  
  
"Eep..." she peeped, unable to control herself. Draco smiled warmly and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Don't worry, she's not that scary when she's not around Lucius." Hermione smiled and gulped a little. Draco knocked and she flinched. "Mother? It is I; Fristy said to find you here..." If Draco was planning on saying more, he wouldn't have been able to, as the door swung open to reveal a very attractive blonde woman.  
  
A/N I wouldn't have stopped here, but if not I would have had a like 30page chapter. So I broke it into the next three. Don't worry, it's all good.  
  
PRF  
  
*karly* E-mail me! I love my Draco. He's MY Draco. I MADE him that way, those were all MY ideas....lol. I was surprised at myself for this Seattle thing; it turned out really well. The students won't be back for a while; a lot happens in the next few days, I'm already on approx. chapter 35 and it's not even Christmas. I went a little overboard. I apologize to everyone, lol. Its all good though, I think everyone will like it.  
  
SnapeGirl- Thank you, thank you, thank you! Wow, so enthusiastic! I think you're praising me more than I deserve, however, but thanx anyway!  
  
JoeBob1379- I know; Beauty and the Beast is MY favorite story too. I watched the Disney version three times the other day; I just love it so much! I wish *I* had a boyfriend, much less one like Draco. I could only hope for that in my wildest dreams... ::swoon::  
  
Drama queen- Oh come on! I've READ I Won't Walk Away! There's no way in hell my story is better, lol. As for that other one, I haven't read it, but I'll look it up and do so. If you think it's tied with I won't walk away, it must be awesome!  
  
Kat19- I love Seattle too...The Emerald City of Legend, hehe  
  
Lily Rainwater - Thanx and I like your penname!  
  
Coco- I'm just lucky I guess; they just come to me! And Draco is MY imaginary boyfriend. You can't have him!!! Lol  
  
Dark Vampire - Sorry, jut never got that vibe from them :o) I mean; they aren't incredibly unfortunate looking, but duh, Tom wins by a hella lot, lol. Thanx, and your story is good! I read the first chapter or so... I liked it! 


	20. Minions at Malfoy Manor

Disclaimer: If this chapter has mistakes, I'm sorry. I didn't have time to recheck it this morning, and I wanted it up before school. Anyway, Everything you like in this story belongs to JKR, EXCEPT the ENTIRE Whize family. They're mine. But everything else? Yours. Or Hers. Someone other than me.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY: Minions at Malfoy Manor  
  
"Draco! I'm so glad you decided to come!" she said and hugged him in a very motherly way. Hermione couldn't help but smile and the woman's eyes fell upon Hermione as she released her son. The older woman looked between the two teenagers with a smile.  
  
"Ah, right," Draco said as he noticed what his mother was implying. "Mother, this is the friend I told you about; Hermione. Hermione, my mother." Narcissa smiled and held out her hand.  
  
"It's nice to finally meet you, Hermione. How are you this evening?" she asked. Hermione slipped her hand into the older woman's and managed to keep her composure.  
  
"Very well, thank you Mrs. Malfoy," she replied respectively. Mrs. Malfoy's eye made the slightest twitch as her name was spoken and Hermione bit her tongue.  
  
"Well," Narcissa started, releasing Hermione. "Now that we're all acquainted, come into the parlor and we shall have some tea." Draco flinched at the word and Hermione wasn't the only one to notice. "Draco? Is there something wrong, dear?" Mrs. Malfoy asked, sounding concerned. Hermione looked at Draco, also concerned and a bit uneasy.  
  
"No, Mum. I'm fine." Mrs. Malfoy didn't look convinced, but let it slide.  
  
"Alright... come in then, and have a seat," she said and turned to enter the room for herself. Hermione saw the room for the first time, then and was astounded. It was a very cheery room; white walls with a deep red carpet and matching drapes. There was a sitting area with white couches and red pillows directly in front of them, then farther down Hermione could see a bar-like area with a red and white tiled floor, classic kitchen checks, a breakfast bar, and a small stove and refrigerator.  
  
Hermione was briefly surprised that there were muggle appliances, but dismissed it quickly as she gaped at all of the portraits and artifacts. The whole thing reminded her of a candy cane, and she suddenly remember how close Christmas was; only about 2 weeks away. Hermione felt Draco's hand brush hers and she smiled at him.  
  
Draco smiled too and motioned for her to sit down. She did, and he sat next to her while Mrs. Malfoy went to the bar to get the tea. Hermione sat strait and stiff, too nervous to do anything else. While Narcissa's back was turned, Draco kissed her quickly on the cheek.  
  
"Relax," he whispered and she took a deep breath. Draco smiled and kissed her again, "It's okay." She nodded, even though nothing felt okay. Narcissa came back, carrying a tray much like Mrs. Weasley's, but made of pure silver and not of tin. Hermione smiled as she accepted the cup and thanked her hostess, but Draco said nothing, accepting the tea, but staring at it as if it were poison.  
  
"Draco, are you sure you're all right? You're acting rather oddly," Narcissa asked, gently lifting her cup to her mouth.  
  
"Yes, Mother. I'm fine," he said and almost hastily brought the cup to his lips, sipping away her suspicion. Narcissa, again, did not look convinced, but let it slide. Hermione wondered how much this happened; Draco claiming to be fine and his mother brushing it off, even when she knew something was wrong. The Malfoy woman turned to Hermione with a warm smile.  
  
"Well! Hermione, tell me more about yourself. Have you attended Hogwarts long?" she asked, smiling genuinely.  
  
So it began; the feared inquisition of the parental figures. The next two hours consisted of Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy asking petty questions of Hermione, Hermione answering them, and Draco only speaking when spoken to or to be outraged at one of his mother's questions.  
  
Draco kept looking at his watch, annoyed at having to convert the numbers in his head for lack of a small pointed object with which to reset it. After an acceptable amount of unintelligent conversation and nervous looks at questions about the two of them, Draco decided to speak up. Once again, he waited for a break in conversation.  
  
"Mother, I hate to interrupt, but we are due back at the castle soon and I'd like to see Lucifer before we leave. May we be excused?" Draco asked, having moments of both pride and timid accent in his speech. Narcissa looked surprised for a moment then nodded.  
  
"Yes of course; wait until you see him, he's adorable." She said, looking to Hermione and speaking as if they had know each other for years. "It was nice meeting you, Hermione. I hope to see both of you back to visit me soon," she said expectantly as they stood.  
  
"Yes mother," Draco said, smiling. He took Hermione's hand and led her to the door, but Narcissa met them half-way and pulled her son into another embrace. This one, however, she ended with a large kiss on his cheek. Hermione had to stifle a laugh as she saw the look of disgust on his face. When Narcissa let go, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and made a break for the door.  
  
Hermione managed a quick wave before he pulled her through. Draco closed the door behind them and Hermione backed up against the wall next to it, letting gout a deep sigh. She laughed as she looked at Draco, who still looked disgusted, and was now trying to wipe away his mother's lipstick. He smiled a little and took a step closer to her.  
  
"Do you do that after I kiss you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Draco smirked and moved a little closer, pressing his hands against the wall on either side of her. The two were wonderfully close to each other.  
  
"As soon as you turn around," he said and she hit him playfully, faking outrage. Then she smiled and ran a hand through his blonde hair, keeping the other on his shoulder. Draco laughed, leaned in, and kissed her gently, letting her melt into it. Hermione barely had time to do so, however, as they were disrupted by the sound of a shriek, then small running feet, and a far-away sob. Both turned their heads in the direction of the sound just in time to see a small figure scurry around the corner.  
  
"Fristy?" Draco asked quietly, speaking to no one. Hermione looked to him, but he kept his eyes on the corner.  
  
"Oh Draco, I'm sorry," she said and his head spun immediately to look at her.  
  
"What? Why?" he asked, not seeing the reasoning behind her statement. Hermione looked at him as if he were crazy. She spoke a little slowly, using simple sentences, as if talking to a five year old.  
  
"Fristy likes you. You kissed me. Fristy saw us, ran away crying. Very angry, probably hates you, not to mention me." Draco smiled at her attitude toward the situation.  
  
"Well, yes, I gathered that much, Hermione," he said and she smiled a little. "You shouldn't be sorry, I kissed you. Besides, I love Fristy about as much as you love Ron, and in the same context. I care about her, I mean, I care that she's upset and I don't want her to be mad at me, but that doesn't mean I love her like I love you," he said and kissed her again. Hermione smiled as it ended.  
  
"Well, I think you should at least go talk to her," she said and twisted a piece of his hair between her fingers. Draco nodded and took a bit of a step back, taking his hands off the wall. Hermione's hands slid from his shoulders and hung once again at her sides.  
  
"Yes, I agree. I will after we see the baby. You'll love him, Hermione, I know you will," he said and took her hand. Draco seemed very happy and Hermione couldn't help but smile. He led her back down the hall to the entry room they had first come in to, then headed up a large staircase which branched off from it. At the top, there was a small landing and a simple redwood door, complete with a low peephole, mail slot, and a crystal knob.  
  
Draco knocked one of the two knockers, a smaller version of the one outside. The knocker Draco had chosen was about eye level to Hermione, while the other knocker was much lower; about to her waist. It didn't take her long to figure out where this door would lead; the home of Fristy, Clara, Penny, Blandon and Lucifer. She smiled; how quaint.  
  
The door was opened by a small female elf, clad in muggle jeans and a sweatshirt, whom Hermione had almost mistaken as Fristy. This elf, however, had long straight hair, as opposed to Fristy's short and curly style. She looked almost identical to Fristy, however, and seemed about the same age. **This must be Clara,** she concluded, ** They're twins, how...cool, for lack of a better word.** The house elf seemed to smirk at Draco as she recognized him and spoke sarcastically. One sentence and Hermione knew she was nothing like her sister.  
  
"Why Draco, fancy meeting you here. I was beginning to think you wouldn't return until summer," she sighed and shrugged, "...one can dream, I suppose."  
  
"It's good to see you again as well, Clara. Did Fristy happen to come up here just now?" Draco asked and smiled at the tiny elf.  
  
"Actually, she did, and she did seem rather upset," she paused and raised an eyebrow, "What did you do to her? Wait..." Clara said and looked to Hermione as if just noticing she was there.  
  
Her gaze followed down Hermione's arm to her hand, which was still linked with Draco's. A large grin broke across Clara's face and she nodded, over exaggerating each bob.  
  
"I see what's going on here. Well, well, well; Draco Malfoy finally going out with someone other than Pansy Pork-n-Beans or whatever. Oh wait, did Fristy see you kiss? Oh my god, this is priceless!" Clara said, laughing. Draco semi-blushed and his hand tightened on Hermione's.  
  
"That's quite enough, Clara. Would you kindly tell your mother than I am here; we are on a bit of a schedule," Draco asked, trying to sound superior. Hermione was a little surprised at this but got over it when Clara spoke again.  
  
"Now, now. I'll be damned if I'm going to let a stranger into my quarters. Introduce me to your friend and I shall see to it that mother is informed of your presence," she said, gesturing to Hermione. Draco sighed and Hermione wasn't sure if he was sick of introducing her to people, or simply sick of the elf's attitude.  
  
"Clara, this is Hermione. Hermione, Clara," he said, unenthusiastically. And paused while Clara sized Hermione up. "Now, may we enter?" he asked impatiently. Clara shrugged and turned to walk away.  
  
"Mother!" she yelled as she receded into her domicile, leaving the door open for them to enter. Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head. Hermione laughed and he smiled; he loved it when she laughed.  
  
"I thought twins were supposed to be at least a little like each other," Hermione thought out loud. Draco smiled.  
  
"Well, not those two. How did you know they were twins; I don't think I told you," he asked, stepping through the doorway and pulling Hermione behind him. She shrugged.  
  
"I'm observant," she managed to say before a pudgy little elf of a woman bustled in, smiling.  
  
"Draco, dear, It's nice to see you home again," she said and Draco bent down to hug her.  
  
"Good evening Mrs. Whize," he said and stood. Hermione smiled, if Harry and Ron could see him now, on last name basis with a house elf. Mrs. Whize turned her head and smiled warmly at Hermione then brought her eyes back to Draco.  
  
"A girl? How unexpected," she said eyes shining. Draco looked a little annoyed, but none-the-less introduced her.  
  
"Yes, that seems to be popular belief. This is my good friend, Hermione. Hermione, Mrs. Whize." The house elf smiled and held up her hand. Hermione leaned a bit down to take it and shook it lightly, smiling politely.  
  
"Hello my good friend Hermione, won't you both come in? We shall have tea," the woman said and turned away. As expected, Draco flinched. He decided he could not go through this again.  
  
"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Whize. We can not stay long; Mother's visit took up most of our time, but I was hoping to see Lucifer before we must be off." The woman smiled.  
  
"Yes. I sent Fristy to tell you he had awoken and to save you from your mother; I don't know what happened, but she did not seem happy when she returned. Come," she said and turned into another small room.  
  
Draco took Hermione's hand and led her to follow Mrs. Whize. The room was what seemed like a nursery, but with a seating area. Clara was curled up in one of the large chairs, a smirk on her face.  
  
A tiny crib was placed in the corner, obviously occupied with not other than Lucifer. Hermione was excited; she loved children and had never before seen a baby house elf. Draco, too, was excited, but seemed more able to hid it.  
  
"Hello again, Clara," he said and she waved sarcastically. Draco turned and smiled at Hermione, then dragged her over to the crib. Lucifer was the tiniest house elf she had ever seen and she melted over him. He was adorable; so small and innocent, reaching up to the new faces with tiny arms. Hermione placed a hand over her mouth, overcome by the sight. Mrs. Whize noticed this and placed a chubby hand on Hermione's arm. Hermione looked down at her and the elfin woman smiled.  
  
"Go on dear, pick him up. You know you want to," she said and Hermione turned to Draco. He was smiling and nodded to her. Hermione looked back to say she couldn't, but Mrs. Whize insisted. Hermione wanted desperately to hold the little being, but was a bit unsure of herself. She picked up the bundle, not able to say no again, and held him in her arms. Lucifer laughed as she did so and Hermione smiled. "I believe he likes you, Hermione," the elf said and turned to seat herself on one of the couches.  
  
Hermione felt a tear slide down her cheek; holding the fragile life in her hands was like nothing she had ever felt before. Not necessarily better than anything else, but still wonderful and different.  
  
She held the baby for about a half an hour, continuing to become more confident. She didn't take her eyes off of him and was barely listening to the slowly progressing conversation. Hermione forced herself to pass of the little bundle to Draco then, seeing his yearning eyes. Mrs. Whize chatted meaninglessly with Hermione while Draco held the baby.  
  
She asked many of the same questions Mrs. Malfoy had asked, and Hermione repeated her answers politely. All together, the teenage couple visited with the older elf woman and her daughter for about an hour. For the third time that day, Draco waited for a break in conversation.  
  
"Hermione, what time is it?" he asked, not able to look at his watch, for fear of waking the now asleep baby Lucifer. Hermione smiled at the adorable scene, then checked her own watch and answered him.  
  
"Almost eight thirty," she said and he sighed. Draco gave the baby back to Hermione, careful not to wake him, and stood.  
  
"I should go talk to Fristy. Stay here, I'll be back in a few minutes," he told her, placing a hand on her face, not wanting to kiss her in front of the elfin woman he considered his superior. Hermione smiled and nodded. Draco turned to his hostess and nodded to her. "Mrs. Whize," then looked at the younger elf, who was giggling as she realized WHY he had to talk with her sister. "Clara," he said warningly. The little elf simply laughed harder. Draco smiled at Hermione and exited the nursery, off to talk with his admirer. Hermione stayed where he asked her to and chatted quietly with the elves; mostly about the boy who was no longer there.  
  
Draco made his way through the second story to the door he knew belonged to Fristy. He walked up to it and took a deep breath; Fristy was his friend and he was a little nervous. Gently, he knocked on the plain brown door.  
  
"Fristy? It's Draco," he said quietly, opening the door a crack. The full force of a teenage house-elf slammed it back shut.  
  
"I know who you are, now go away!" she yelled, sobbing quietly.  
  
"Fristy, why are you mad at me?" he asked as if he didn't know.  
  
"Don't ask stupid questions, Draco! Go back to your little girlfriend, I'm sure she misses you." Draco decided to play dumb; it seemed easier that way.  
  
"Is that what this is about; you're jealous of Hermione?" he asked, no answer. He sighed; this was going no where. "Fine, if you're not going to talk to me about this, we'll just leave. Classes start again after Christmas so I guess I won't see you until June..."  
  
As he expected, the door opened to show the tear stained face of Fristy Whize. Draco smirked, **I thought that might work.** He dropped his smirk quickly and sighed before sitting down on the floor of the hallway.  
  
"Why are you so upset about this, Fristy? You never got like that when I was with Pansy." He said the name as if it were an object and not a person. Fristy sat next to him in the doorway.  
  
"Yeah, well... you hated Pansy. And you never brought her home, and I never saw you kiss her. She came over without asking and hung all over you, but I knew you didn't like her at all." Draco nodded, she was right, of course.  
  
"Why don't you want me to have a girlfriend, Fristy?" he asked, emotionless.  
  
"You know why, Draco. Isn't it obvious?" she said, tears still falling.  
  
" I want to hear you say it," he said, not looking at her. Fristy took a deep, stuttering breath.  
  
"I like you Draco, you know that. I've liked you forever; I just don't want to lose you to someone else," she said, blushing. Draco couldn't help but smile; he didn't think she was going to actually say that to him. He turned to look at her.  
  
"Fristy, I like you too...but a relationship like that would never work out between us, even if there was no Hermione, god forbid," he said and she dropped her head.  
  
"Is it because I'm a house-elf and you're human?" she asked, believing that was the reason. Draco was surprised at her question and took her hand in his.  
  
"No, of course not. It's because you're like a sister to me; it would be very odd, don't you think?" he asked, serious. "I could never feel for you that way, Fristy. I love you, but not like that. I'm sorry," he said and kissed her cheek before standing. She smiled up ant him and he held out a hand to help her up. "Will you come and see us off? Hermione thinks you're upset with her. You shouldn't be, you know; she didn't do anything." Fristy nodded and took his hand, walking slowly beside him toward the nursery.  
  
"I know she didn't know, but I can't shake the feeling she's taking you away form me," she said sadly, looking to the floor. Draco wasn't exactly sure how to feel about that.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere; you can always come and talk to me Fristy, you know that. But, for my sake and hers, be nice to Hermione, okay? We've been through more than you'll ever know recently, and she's very emotionally fragile. I found that out the hard way," he said and smiled, thinking of his previous conversation with Hermione. It seemed so much longer than a few hours ago; a lot had happened that day. He looked to the little elf, now standing outside the nursery door. "Promise?" he asked and she nodded.  
  
"Anything for you, Draco," she said and he gently rustled her hair.  
  
"Thanks, that means a lot to me," he said and opened the door.  
  
Draco felt himself draw a sharp breath as he saw Hermione on the couch. Lucifer was awake now, sitting on her lap and pulling gently on her hair. Hermione, who hadn't noticed Draco enter, was sitting there laughing, letting the little being laugh and play along with her. She looked so beautiful to him, Draco couldn't speak. He felt his stomach flip and his pulse jump . Then, she turned to him and his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't breathe; Draco was almost scared, he had no idea what was happening to him.  
  
"Draco?" a small voice beside him sounded. Draco forced himself to tear his eyes away from the girl and look to the elf at his side. She looked bewildered and he smiled at her, sweat forming on his brow. The elf looked concerned for a moment, but Draco's smile was genuinely reassuring and extremely contented and she was reassured that everything was perfectly fine. Fristy smiled back and Draco turned again to Hermione, feeling a pang in his heart as she crossed his eyes again. Struggling for breath, he managed to speak to her. Hermione noticed that something was different; not wrong, just different.  
  
"Are we ready?" he asked, looking as if the world had become suddenly brighter. Hermione smiled sweetly and nodded before turning back to her new little friend.  
  
"Bye-bye," she said in a high voice to the baby, lifting him off her lap and placing him in his mother's arms. Lucifer looked sad for a moment, then wrapped his arms around his mother's neck, burying his head into her chest sleepily. Hermione stood and moved closer to Draco, noticing Fristy and keeping a bit of distance from him. Draco was almost glad; his heart beat faster with every step she took, the feeling wonderfully unbearable. Hermione looked to the curly haired elf and held out a hand. Fristy took it and smiled.  
  
"No hard feelings, okay Hermione?" she said and saw Draco smile out of the corner of her eye. Hermione looked surprised for a moment, then smiled, big and beautiful.  
  
"Of course not, Fristy," she said and was glad to see Fristy smile wider. She released her hand and stood straighter. "Good evening Mrs. Whize, Clara. Bye, bye Lucifer," she said and turned to Draco. A deep blush seemed to be collecting at his cheeks and Hermione felt a fierce yearn to get him outside and ask what was wrong.  
  
"Goodbye dears, be sure to come back and visit again, won't you?" Mrs. Whize asked from behind her infant son.  
  
"Of course Mrs. Whize," Draco said and Hermione slid her hand into his out of habit. Draco felt a tingling sensation start in his hand and spread through out his body, but Hermione seemed to realize what she had done and dropped his hand, looking apologetically at Fristy. The little elf looked near tears but was still smiling. Draco was not as accepting of the hand drop as either of the two girls. He wanted that heavenly tingle back as soon as possible. "Come on, Hermione. We're already late."  
  
Draco grabbed her hand again, looking instantly soothed, and made for the exit. Hermione waved to her family of new friends as he pulled her out the nursery door and back through the entry room. Draco paused only slightly before passing through the redwood portal.  
  
The couple walked back out to the garden and were near their original spot of arrival before Draco turned to her. Hermione spoke before he could.  
  
"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked, holding his hands in hers. He smiled a little, and even in the dim light, Hermione could tell that he was blushing.  
  
"Hermione, I'm falling in love," Draco said in a calm and steady voice. Hermione dropped his hands and placed hers over her mouth, face white with shock. She shook her head slowly and took a step back from him. Draco looked confused, not understanding her behavior.  
  
"Fristy?" she asked in a whisper, shock and disbelief showing through. **How can this be happening?** she wondered. Draco paled a considerable amount, eyes wide in shock. He now understood what she must be thinking and stepped toward her. To his horror, Hermione took another step back.  
  
"No, Hermione! Oh my god, no! You! I'm falling in love with...you," he said, separating the last word as if he himself had just realized it's meaning. Hermione dropped her hands from her mouth and stared at her boyfriend, searching his face for emotion. Relief came to her as she saw the endless amounts of the burning fleck termed love, but also a clash of fear. "I. Love. You," he repeated, making each word a sentence. This time, the words held more meaning than ever before and Hermione noticed, but pretended not to.  
  
"What? Draco, I know you love me..." she began but he cut her off.  
  
"I knew I did too, but I've just done it all over again; and this time I've fallen harder," he said, smiling almost sheepishly. Hermione began breathing strangely, almost hyperventilation. She took the needed steps forward and embraced him hard. The wonderful tingle came back to Draco, this time hard enough to take his breath away. Draco tried to regain himself and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close to him.  
  
"You scared the hell out of me, Draco. I thought... I thought that..." Hermione started, sobbing now. She wouldn't have been able to say anything more even if Draco hadn't cut her off.  
  
"Never, Hermione. I'm sorry, I didn't think...." Draco said, then paused, "I'm sorry," he whispered. Hermione managed to compose herself, but did not let go.  
  
A/N as I said before, broke up the chapters. That's why the ending sucks. Flame if you wish, it'll be my first one, and I fear that I'm getting a big head. Go on, FLAME ME DAMMIT!!!  
  
First one to guess why Mrs. Whize's name is funny gets a nickle!  
  
PRF  
  
Cristabel- Wow. That's a lot of reviews, you're awesome! I'll answer them in chronological order.  
  
-They have a Heads Dormitory. Because they're Head Boy and Girl and whatnot. I'm not exactly sure if that's true, but it's popular beielf, so I went with it. I know he's a little overly nice, and I know this chapter sucked, but it WAS my VERY first chapter EVER so cut me, would ya?  
  
-They have, sort of. I just went directly into the 'I like you' thing. I know it's moving fast, but I wanted to get past all that and straight to the good stuff. The snow and names thing you already know.  
  
-Exactly.  
  
-If Headwig is a girl, I could care less. If I want my owls to have sex changes, my owls will have sex changes.  
  
-It was like; gliding up really fast, but still not like shaky. That's what I meant. Only YOU would point that out. Lol. And of course McGonnagal had to knock. How else would I EVER have broken them apart after THAT?  
  
- I know, she cries too much. Popular belief once again. But, I don't care about the alarm clocks thing. Maybe they got special permission since they have to stay so long by themselves.... or maybe they charmed it or magiked up a look-alike. Whatever. And they said I Love You because I Like You sounds stupid. That's all.  
  
-He wears muggle clothing because he's a teenager. Teenagers, I'm assuming, wouldn't really enjoy wearing robes all the time. I wouldn't.  
  
-Well, pretty worried is an understatement. This guy was like, hysterically worried. He was a little too preoccupied with looking in her window to bother taking in the scenery outside before walking to it. About the alarm clock? I DON'T CARE. And No way in hell would our Draco EVER do that. EVER.  
  
Karly- Send me your chapter! I'm excited! Hehe  
  
Lily Rainwater- I don't know, but I wish she would enlighten me as well! I must say he's incredible! And that's sweet of you to say; thanks! I must apologize though.... got some stuff coming up that won't exactly make you smile. But its all good, in the same...  
  
Carla- No, probably not. I just did that last one so that I could have something to bring them closer. Nothing like savage fear to bring two people together. And no, I've never been anywhere near Seattle. That's why there's not a lot of detail about the Needle. Sorry; but I just HAD to make them go there... its kinda romantic... and now I'm jealous. Of my own fictional materialization. Niiiiiice. 


	21. The Other Side of Love

Quick A/N : Just so you know, Whize is pronounced Wise, as in wise-guy or wise potato chips. Penny Whize is funny because that's the name of the evil clown in Stephen King's novel, IT. J/FYI.  
  
Disclaimer: This line is like the dark mark on the forearm of my story. It's evil, ugly, and pointless. Everyone already knows you're evil, just as everyone knows this story isn't mine. Cheerio.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: The Other Side of Love  
  
"Can we go home now, please?" she begged in a whisper. Draco held Hermione closer for a moment while he apparated back to Hogsmeade. They stayed that way for a few minutes more, then Draco spoke.  
  
"Come on, Hermione. We still have to walk back to the castle." She looked up, not expecting to see the familiar setting of the Hogsmeade path, but glad that it was there. "That is...unless you want me to kidnap you again," Draco said with an uneasy smirk. Hermione smiled, not really in the mood for jokes.  
  
"No, I am perfectly capable of walking, thank you,' she said, not moving from the embrace. Draco frowned a little; he knew she was still upset.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione did something very unexpected; she kissed him. Hermione's kiss was hard and fierce, and Draco felt her unbridled emotion flow through her lips. He let himself fall into the kiss, his newly renewed emotion surging through him. When they broke apart, Hermione came back for seconds, only to be deprived of them. Draco's lips had now moved close to her ear.  
  
"We have to go," he said, sounding utterly disappointed that this must be ended. Hermione bit her lip and nodded, not wanting this to end either. She felt Draco's hot breath on her neck and felt a tingle of anticipation. Draco let go of her and Hermione hugged his side, placing her arms around him and leaning a curly brown head on his shoulder. Draco's hand took hold around Hermione's middle, hugging her back.  
  
The two made their way back down the path and through the almost deserted town. The gate to Hogwarts was already open, presumed by Hagrid, as not to lock them out. Together, the two remained silent as they shuffled through the gate and up the hill to the castle. Draco looked down at Hermione as they neared the large entry doors, noting that she was smiling. Her eyes were closed and she seemed peaceful; Draco wondered briefly if she was asleep. He stopped in front of the large stone steps and kissed her head gently. She made no movement and he smiled; maybe she was.  
  
"Hermione? Hermione, we're home...are you asleep?" he said in a loud whisper, as one does when all around them is quiet. Hermione groaned a little and flutter her eyes partially open.  
  
"Draco? You woke me up early yesterday; can't I sleep a little longer?" she asked, closing her eyes again. Draco smiled.  
  
"As soon as you get to bed, love," he whispered, but Hermione was already asleep on her feet again. He pulled her embrace away from him and scooped her into his arms. Draco brought the sleeping head girl into the castle and up the many flights of stairs to their portrait. The occupants, a small blonde haired girl and her ebony haired father, sat sleeping in their large chair by the fire. "Excuse me," Draco said and the man's eyes popped open.  
  
"Shh, password?" he asked in a whisper. Draco recited the password, then asked the man to keep the door open until he himself closed it. The man nodded and closed his eyes before opening the door.  
  
Draco took Hermione through the common room, briefly noticing the log burning in the fireplace. He made his way to the door of his room and opened it carefully, so as not to wake his sleeping love again. The fire in his own room was lit as well, and provided enough light to safely carry Hermione to her side of the bed and lay her there. He removed her shoes and covered her for warmth, then went back to the common room. He strolled over to his desk and took out a piece of parchment and quill.  
  
"Hermione,  
  
I went to tell Dumbledore that we have returned, as promised. Go back to sleep, I'll be back soon and we can talk in the morning. I love you.  
  
-Draco"  
  
Draco took the note and returned to his room. Walking over to the bed, he noticed the firelight on Hermione's fair skin and wanted nothing more than to jump her and kiss forever. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her gently on the forehead. She smiled in her slumber and Draco felt the warm tingle again. He tore himself away and placed the note on his pillow for her to find if she happened to wake while he was gone.  
  
He left her, then; off to report to Dumbledore. Draco quietly slipped through the common room, depositing his shoes, coat, and scarf near a sofa, and out the portrait, careful not to close it.  
  
As soon as the cold floor of the hallway touched his bare feet, Draco began to run. He was filled with an amazing emotion and needed to do something drastic. He would much rather have snogged the adrenaline away, but Hermione asleep was no help with that, so he ran. Draco ran and ran, as fast as he could, ignoring the complaints of the portraits.  
  
The muffled sound of his feet against the stone floor combined with his ragged breathing were the only things he concentrated on. Not letting himself stop, Draco soon found himself in front of Dumbledore's office. He took a moment to catch his breath before knocking, and entered at Dumbledore's request.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," he said, smiling. Then, noticing the flush in his cheeks and his rapid breath, he asked in concern, "Is everything alright? Where is Miss Granger?"  
  
"Everything is perfectly fine, Professor. Hermione's asleep; I just came to check in," he said, trying to calm himself and slow his breathing.  
  
"I believe you are a little behind schedule, Mr. Malfoy," the old man said, smiling. Draco sighed as he remember exactly why they were off schedule.  
  
"Yes, well...both my mother and Mrs. Whize tend to carry on rather long conversations, and Hermione wanted to spend some time with Lucifer," he explained, taking a step into the room. Dumbledore knew all about the Whizes, including Lucifer, and silently agreed with Draco. The headmaster nodded, eyes twinkling as always.  
  
"Perfectly understandable. Now, I won't keep you. It will do you good to get some rest," he said in an almost fatherly tone.  
  
"Thank you Professor, and again; thank you for letting me do this; I know Hermione needed it," he said as he retraced his step to the door. The old man simply nodded and Draco left his office. He closed the door quietly behind him and ran back to the common room, this time because he realized that the portrait was open and anyone could walk in. Not that there was anyone to be frightened of in the castle, but he still felt uneasy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco returned to find everything the same as he had left it, including, to his relief, Hermione. Draco closed the portrait slowly, as not to wake its occupants, nor those in his mind. He walked quietly, save his breathing, to his room and closed the door behind him.  
  
Hermione was still in his bed, however was no longer wearing her coat scarf and gloves. Draco felt a strange feeling creep through him as he looked at her; clad in only a slinky black shirt and denim skirt, note clasped in her hand. He smiled and sighed, climbing into bed, not bothering to change.  
  
"Draco?" Hermione said unexpectedly, fluttering her eyes open.  
  
"I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep, it's just me," he said softly, coaxing her to sleep again. Hermione slid closer to him, snuggling up to him. Draco tied an arm around her and Hermione sighed blissfully.  
  
"I like it when you call me that," she said and placed her head on his shoulder.  
  
"What?" he asked, wanting terribly to kiss her. Hermione moved her head closer to his, tempting him.  
  
"Love," she whispered and touched her lips to his. It was a soft and gentle kiss, unlike the one in Hogsmeade, but Draco liked it better. To him, it seemed as if every kiss from Hermione was better than the one before it. This kiss was much longer and a lot deeper than the previous one, and when she came back for more, Draco didn't stop her. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, letting his free hand rest on her hip.  
  
Hermione, who was now very much awake, wrapped her arms around his neck and let him climb on top of her. She grunted softly as she felt his hand slide under her shirt and up her side. When their kiss ended and they broke apart, Draco continued to kiss her, along her jaw and around her mouth.  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and called his name softly, giving Draco more confidence. His lips found hers again and they kissed gently. Hermione made a small, high-pitched, sound; suggesting deep pleasure. Draco heard this; like music to his ears. Once again he was over come with a wonderful feeling; he was making her like this. She was deeply enjoying this, and he was inflicting this pleasure on her. She was calling to him, she wanted him, and he loved it. It made Draco feel alive, like everything was new, and he owned it all.  
  
Charged with new confidence, Draco slid his hand farther up her side, fingers gracing the bottom of her breast. Hermione felt this, thinking she should stop him. She didn't however. Caught in the moment, she decided that she trusted Draco, and if it was okay with him, then it was okay with her.  
  
Seeing that she didn't stop him, Draco decided to go a little farther, gently letting his fingers glide up and over her breast while they kissed. Hermione couldn't deny how good it felt, or how much she wanted him to do it, and for a moment she considered not stopping him. If she wanted it and he wanted it, where was the problem?  
  
Then, Hermione realized that the situation was almost out of control; if she let Draco do that, it would only give him the confidence to push her farther, test her boundaries.  
  
Not thinking about anything but pleasing her, Draco did take it one more step; he gently let the whole weight of his hand be supported by her and moved his thumb in a gentle caress. Hermione realized that she had to stop this before something happened that they would both regret, as much as she didn't want it to end. Quickly, Hermione untangled a hand from his messy hair and reached up to his, pushing it down to a safe position nearer to her hip, never breaking the kiss. Draco tried to pull away, but Hermione pulled him closer, replacing the hand behind his head. Draco obeyed her silent request and finished the cosset of their lips.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, sounding horrified, when the kiss ended. He pulled back dramatically and slid himself off of her. Draco looked pale and scared. Hermione gripped his arm and spoke to him, pleading.  
  
"No, Draco. Don't go, I don't want to end this yet, please...kiss me." Draco was kneeling beside her on the bed now, still looking scared. He kept his eyes off of her, looking at nothing. He took a deep breath and sighed, then made to get out of bed, despite Hermione's plea. "No, Draco!"  
  
"It's alright, just go to sleep, Hermione," he said, sounding un-alive and not meeting her gaze. He stood and walked to the door.  
  
"But..." she called, feeling helpless.  
  
"Just go back to sleep," he said, slipping through the door. He closed his eyes briefly before walking slowly to the bathroom. Draco lit the candle near the door, letting the magically bright light illuminate the room. Then, he stood in front of the sink, looking at himself in the mirror. "How could you?" he asked his reflection, "How dare you claim you love her and then do that to her? She trusted you and you hurt her, you bastard! She deserves so much better than you," he finished, gritting his teeth and saying the word 'you' as if he were speaking about Voldemort. Then, he added as an afterthought, "You disgust even yourself." His words held an amount of malice and hatred Hermione, who was standing near the opened door , unnoticed, thought Draco no longer capable of.  
  
"Draco?" she whispered, unsure if she should speak to him. Draco spun his head toward her with surprised eyes. Then, he dropped his gaze to the sink below him.  
  
"Hermione, go back to bed; it's late," he said, not letting himself look at her. She didn't heed his word, however, and approached him.  
  
"I can't sleep with out you, Draco. Why do you think I woke while you were with Dumbledore? Please come back to bed, I need you," she said and placed a hand on his arm. Draco couldn't say anything for a moment, not with the tingle conflicting with his emotions.  
  
"I can't," he whispered, not looking at her. "I don't trust myself anymore." Hermione wanted badly to comfort him, make everything better, but she wasn't exactly sure how.  
  
"Draco," she started, placing a hand on his cheek opposite her. "Look at me," she said, almost commanding, but still soft. Hermione pushed his face toward her, forcing him to look at her. "Draco, you're overreacting. Do I look hurt or angry? I'm fine; please...come back with me," she assured and pleaded with him.  
  
"Hermione, you don't understand! How can you ever trust me again? Think of what would have happened if you didn't stop me; what I could have done to you," he said, almost in panic.  
  
"Draco, I did stop you. You wouldn't have done anything extreme anyway, I know you wouldn't," she said, trying to work this out.  
  
"I'm not so sure, Hermione. We both know I would have kept going until you stopped me, and we both know you should have stopped me long before you did." Hermione was almost angry; why did he have to be so stubborn? She couldn't be mad at him, though, not really.  
  
"Well," she said, dropping her hands and not looking at him. "Maybe I didn't want to stop you," she said, almost embarrassed. Draco sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
"I know Hermione, that's another thing I'm afraid of. I'll get going, too far and too fast, but you won't stop me. You won't stop me because you like it. We'll be caught up in the moment and end up way across the border line, unable to turn back," he sighed, " I just don't want to hurt you." Hermione wanted to hug him; have him close to her, but she couldn't, he wouldn't; everything was suddenly changed that night.  
  
"Draco, I wouldn't let that happen. I say again, you're overreacting. What hurt me just now wasn't what I let you do, it was what you chose to do afterward. You left, Draco, and you didn't come back. That hurt me more than anything that would ever happen in that bed," she said, pointing in the general direction of the bedroom. Hermione had given up on reassuring him and now just wanted him to understand. "Draco, please... just come back to me. I want to forget that this conversation ever happened. I promise; if something happens again, we can discuss it, but this was my fault, not yours, and I choose to forget it for tonight. Please?" Draco sighed and gave in.  
  
"If that's what you really want, Hermione." Draco looked defeated. Hermione turned and walked out the door, straight for Draco's room, hoping he would follow. She didn't look back, just crawled into his bed, fully clothed, and closed her eyes. Draco didn't come right away; he spoke a few more words of hatred to himself before splashing cold water on his face and following her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
When Draco entered the room, Hermione had changed positions. She was now sitting with her back against the headboard, knees to her chest with her arms folded over them and her head down. She looked up when she heard Draco enter.  
  
"I thought you weren't coming," she said quietly as he moved closer to the bed. Draco sat down, looking over to her.  
  
"Hermione, after what you said about leaving, how could I not come back?" he said quietly with a slight smile. Hermione smiled too and moved in for a small kiss. For the first time, Draco turned away. "Hermione, I can't," he said softly. Hermione was getting angry now, **He won't even kiss me? What did I do to us?**  
  
"Draco! How can you go straight from what we just did to not even letting me kiss you? What's happening tonight? Whatever it is, I don't like it," she said and slid down on her back, looking angry. "Maybe I shouldn't have stopped you; I wouldn't have if I'd know it would turn into this," she said almost quietly. Draco turned to her sharply, eyes wide with fear.  
  
"No, Hermione! No, don't even think that...promise me that if anything like that happens again, you'll stop me if it goes too far. Please, Hermione. I'm sorry; I'm sorry I did that, sorry I left, and sorry I hurt you. Please promise me that you won't let me do it again," he pleaded, almost desperate. Hermione seemed to think for a moment, then spoke.  
  
"Well, you won't even kiss me; it doesn't look like I have much to worry about, now does it?" she said, sounding angry. Then, for the first time since they had started sleeping in the same bed, Hermione turned away. She rolled on her side to face the window, silent tears running down her face. Draco couldn't leave her now, but he couldn't touch her. He was far too angry with himself. So, for the first time, Hogwarts' most infamous couple were asleep together, but separated. Hermione kept to her side, wishing through tears that Draco would move closer, and Draco kept to his, wishing she would at least turn to him.  
  
"I love you," he whispered, but Hermione couldn't speak through her tears. Nothing more was said, and neither moved an inch, the night dragging as if it enjoyed their misery.  
  
A/N shorter, I know, but it's still like 3,000 words. That's better than the first chapter, I have to admit. This marks the end of my second composition notebook. My third is about halfway written as I finish this, and I'll continue working on it until its' through before I type it. Wow it's hard to type in gloves....hehe  
  
PRF  
  
S-Star - I was wondering where you went! I thought you'd abandoned me! Thank you for being a loyal reader and...well, reading. I really appreciate it. And it's okay if you don't review every chapter. I totally understand how much of a hassle it is. Thanx again, and I'm glad you like it.  
  
Karly- I emailed you my review of your story. It's really not that bad; there isn't enough yet for you to really show your creativity, though. Just keep writing, that's all I ask!  
  
Carla - Haha, that's kinda cool. You've met Clara, haven't you Carla? Wow, I'm way too easily amused. Anyway... on to your PRF; I let them go to Seattle because I absolutely love it, and because Paris is so... overused. Romantic, but overused. Who goes to Seattle? Hardly anyone. THAT makes it romantic in it's own mysterious and subtle way, the solitude standing prominent above all other elements of romance, but you know what I mean.  
  
Dreamer: Thanx, and will-do!  
  
Heather- Thanx, and I always do!  
  
Gwyn- I have good taste in men, I must say that about myself. And Draco is one fine man if I ever saw one... I am so incredibly jealous of Hermione, wow...it like, hurts. Haha.  
  
Starry Skies - Fluff-4-eva! I just love the fluffy fluffiness of every story, and mine MUST include some! Hehe. We all love Seattle... what's not to love? Yes, Hermione IS sensitive and IS paranoid, but look at what she's dealing with here... I mean, how would you feel if your boyfriend started telling you that he had dreams of your demise? Wouldn't that make you cry a little too? Exactly. And all those other parts where she cries... I dunno, I cry a lot, and I sort of modeled her after me (personality wise) so I guess I just rubbed off. I tried to look at each situation as if I were her, then just wrote down my feelings, as in what I would feel like if it were happening to me.... or something. And don't worry; I LOVE your incessant rambling. I'll try to lighten up. Actually; I don't think she cries too much more, so your in luck, lol  
  
Dark Vampire- who told you your story sucks? Your story most certainly does NOT suck, thank you very much. Now... thanx for reviewing and I'm glad you like it. I don't know where the family of house elves idea came from, but it's original and I like it. I mean, can't you just picture it? It's adorable. And Lucifer? Yes, I apologize for the evil name, and the fact that it sounds like they named their only son after their evil master (Lucius) but I simply adore the name Lucifer... I couldn't help myself. I should have had him have a cat or something named that, but oh well... I'm keeping it that way now.  
  
Sakke Yuy - Ohayo miss Sakke! Thanx for your review, and yes I know Hermione cries a lot, but the main reason she does is so I could do that little 'Go ahead and cry if you want to, I've got all night' thing with Draco; I just loved that idea. Anyway, I like Draco in this perspective. It kinda makes you think twice about him, doesn't it? Maybe not, I'm not good at critiquing myself. And, in case you didn't see it at the top, Whize is pronounced like wise, as in wise guy...not wheeze as in 'his breathing was wheezy' Penny Whize, haha... that's funny. Stephen King rules, lol. Thanx for your praise, although I'm not sure if I deserve it! Thanx! 


	22. Buttered Popcorn

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Buttered Popcorn  
  
Draco woke the next morning to find the bed empty beside him. He felt a wave of panic wash over him, but then noticed the note on the pillow beside him and relaxed.  
  
"Draco,  
  
I went to see Dumbledore, I shouldn't be gone long. I love you.  
  
-Hermione"  
  
Draco smiled; she wasn't mad anymore. He contemplated going to find her, but decided not to, just in case. He quickly decided that staying in bed was not the best choice of activities; his mind kept drifting back to the previous night and what had happened there. Just thinking about being that close to her gave Draco a strange, stomach flipping, feeling. It was an uneasy sensation, good and bad at the same time. **I have to get out of here,** he thought and got quickly out of bed. Looking down at his wrinkled sleeping attire, Draco decided a shower would do good to calm his restlessness. He sighed, missing Hermione's cheery morning presence, and made his way out to the common room, then continued to the bathroom  
  
Telling himself that Hermione was not upset, Draco felt content with everything. He smiled as he let the hot water rain down on him, and stayed in the shower for almost an hour; the longest he had taken in some time. In reality, he did so to be sure that he could see Hermione as soon as he got out. Now, Draco was confident that she would be there; it couldn't have taken that long to see the old man, and he didn't know how long she had been gone before he woke.  
  
To Draco's surprise, however, Hermione was not there. He dried himself and dressed, then exited the bathroom with a smile; expecting to see her reading in the common room. There was no one there, however, not even her bloody cat. His smile faltered, but he hadn't lost hope yet. Draco walked to his room, opening the door to once again be greeted by nothing. He tried her room next, finding her cat, but not Hermione.  
  
**One last place...** he thought and walked through her room to the balcony. Draco sighed as he opened the door; no one. He stepped out to the railing, silently contemplating whether or not to go looking for her. His eyes scanned the grounds, taking in everything. Draco smiled as his gaze fell upon the frozen lake; remembering their ice skating expedition. He remembered his fall and how she had laughed; she was pretty when she laughed.  
  
"That's it, I'm going to find her," he said out loud and turned back to go inside. Draco hurriedly made his way to Dumbledore's office, not running as he had before, but still moving quickly. He had to see her, apologize or something; but ultimately just see her. Draco paused in front of the door, wondering if she would be angry at his visit. He took a breath and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in, Mr. Malfoy," the familiar voice of Dumbledore was heard though the wood. Draco opened the door slowly and slipped into the room. No Hermione; both conference chairs were empty and Dumbledore sat alone at his desk, smiling at the boy.  
  
"Good morning Professor. Is Hermione here? She left me a note," Draco said, sounding hopeful.  
  
"I'm afraid you've missed her, Mr. Malfoy. Miss Granger left for Hogsmeade about twenty minutes ago, but expected you would come looking." Draco frowned; **Stupid shower,**he thought.  
  
"Ah, well. Did she say when she would be back? I have to speak with her about something," he told the elder, now sounding disappointed.  
  
"No, she did not, Mr. Malfoy, but Miss Granger did insist that you not follow her," the old man said, sounding unusually regretful.  
  
"Oh. Thank you Professor."  
  
"Goodbye Mr. Malfoy," he called as Draco slipped back out the door. The lone Slytherin breathed a heavy sigh and began his way back to the common room. If Hermione asked him not to follow, he wouldn't, but he still felt disappointed. He was sure she would be there, and she wasn't; he missed her. Draco decided it best to leave the thoughts behind him and just go back to their quarters. She would come back eventually.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione walked up the path to the castle, clad with various shopping bags. Her thoughts were rested on one Draco Malfoy; she had left him. She knew he wouldn't be angry; she had left a note after all, but she had still left. Hermione had been gone from their rooms for three hours, needing to just get out. She decided shopping was the best thing possible to do, considering the approaching holiday.  
  
The flustered Gryffindor made her way into the building and up the stairs to the common room portrait. She entered quietly, hoping Draco was still asleep. There was no one in the common room and she smiled; he must be in bed. Hermione felt a shiver run up her spine at the thought, and it felt good. She crept quietly to her room, depositing the bags into her closet, and stayed only a moment before leaving again. She made a stealth U-turn and noiselessly entered Draco's room, wanting to see him. Draco was a very attractive sleeper; not that he wasn't ravishing awake as well, and Hermione loved to just watch him.  
  
To her surprise, Hermione found his bed empty. Confused, she walked to the window. **Not in bed, not in the common room, and not on the balcony... where is he?** she thought and turned back to the bed, looking for a note. ** Now, if I were Draco, where would I leave a note?** Hermione, upon finding nothing in the bedroom, went out to the common room to look on the desks. Nothing. She continued to search the common room and found equally nothing. Then, Hermione went back to check her room, looking over the bed and vanity.  
  
She was getting frantic; there was no note. She and Draco had had an unspoken agreement to leave a note if they were to leave the other without notification. It seemed a little possessive, but still made both of them feel better. No note was not good. Hermione seemed to have no choice but to wait for him. **If Draco isn't back within an hour, I'm going to Dumbledore,** she concluded and fled to the common room. Hermione sat on the couch, arms crossed, staring at the common room door. She didn't have to wait long; it was only about ten minutes before the pale blonde Slytherin walked through the portrait portal.  
  
Hermione felt a wave of relief wash over her and tried to bring back the anger she should have; but it wouldn't come. Draco looked up with hopeful eyes as he entered and Hermione's heart fluttered when she saw the grin creep across his face as he laid eyes on her. She tried to look angry, but his happiness to see her forced her to smile.  
  
"Hey!" he said excitedly, walking quickly over to her. "Where did you go?" Hermione smirked a little.  
  
"You know perfectly well where I went. Unlike some people, I leave notes when I leave without warning," she said and looked at Draco accusingly. He smiled sheepishly and sat down beside her.  
  
"Sorry love, but your note said you were with Dumbledore. When you didn't come back, I went to pay our dear Headmaster a visit of my own. Guess who wasn't there?" He paused for a moment and Hermione smiled guiltily. "I didn't leave a note because I thought you'd be where I was going, not here when I returned."  
  
"I suppose that makes sense. Why did you come looking for me anyway?" she said, moving a little closer to him. Draco smiled as he felt the tingle come nearer.  
  
"Well, knowing you... and me, you left at least an hour before I woke up, and an hour later you still hadn't come back. That's an awful long time to be visiting teachers, even for you, love." He smiled, "...and I missed you; I haven't seen you since last night, and that was under some... un- enjoyable circumstances." He told her truthfully. Hermione smiled a little and nodded. She knew what was coming next and waited for it, hoping she was ready. "Are you still mad at me?" Draco asked and she sighed; that's what she thought he would say.  
  
"Draco, I was never angry with you; you were the one freaking out about it, not me," she said, relaxing a little in the plush sofa. Draco looked confused.  
  
"But...you turned away from me..." he said, sounding almost depressed. Hermione looked at him, and spoke softly.  
  
"You turned away from me first," she pointed out and Draco closed his eyes sadly, remembering. "I thought that's what you wanted, for me to stay away. You think I wanted to do that? Draco, that's the farthest apart we've slept in a long, long time...I hated ever minute of it," she stated truthfully. Draco's eyes popped back open and he turned back to her, still looking sad.  
  
"So did I, Hermione. I didn't want that to happen either, but maybe it was better," he said and Hermione looked to him sharply, not wanting to believe he had just said that.  
  
"How can you say that? How is it better; we both hated it...explain to me one good thing about that arrangement," she dared, almost raising her voice. Draco sighed and looked to the floor.  
  
"I couldn't hurt you when I couldn't touch you," he said, sounding deeply regretful and guilty. Hermione almost screamed.  
  
"Draco! You were so scared of me last night you wouldn't have done anything if we were naked, covered in butter, and locked in a freezer!" she said and gasped, blushing and covering her mouth with her hands. She had NOT wanted to say THAT. Draco looked to her, eyes wide with shock.  
  
"Whoa, where did that come from? You have some strange fantasies, Granger," he said with a smirk. Hermione blinked and just stared blankly at him.  
  
"How about we pretend I never said that," she suggested, still shocked at herself. Draco laughed and brushed a stray hair from her face affectionately.  
  
"Easier said than done, love," he came back with a smile, then leaned closer and kissed her cheek, as her hands were still hiding her mouth. They slid down then, and she looked up at him, almost confused.  
  
"You kissed me," she whispered and Draco frowned a little, not sure what she meant. Hermione leaned closer to him. "Do it again," she begged and Draco smiled.  
  
"As you wish," he said and obeyed. Their forbidden kiss was long and deep; tongue tied. Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco's neck and he embraced her, keeping one hand on her back while the other voyaged through her hair, supporting her head. It was wonderful. When it ended, both were breathless; Hermione kept her eyes closed and let her lips brush against the skin of Draco's pale cheek.  
  
"Wow," she whispered and paused before pulling away and smirking a little. She opened her eyes and saw a semi-confused Draco starting back at her. "How did we move from Granger to love to that in like fifteen seconds?" she asked and Draco smiled. He kissed her again, this time short and sweet. When he pulled away, Draco did so thoroughly. He casually leaned back on the sofa and smiled.  
  
Hermione looked at him rather seductively, then turned on the couch and leaned back, placing her head on Draco's lap and letting her legs dangle over the arm. She sighed blissfully. Hermione looked up at Draco and saw that he was looking down at her. She smiled; his hair was a bit messy and falling over his eyes, making him look extremely attractive.  
  
"I love you," she said and Draco placed a hand on her cheek.  
  
"I love you too, Hermione." She smiled and closed her eyes. Draco slid his hand from her cheek to her stomach, careful to avoid her breasts entirely. Hermione squirmed a little at his touch, loving every second of it, and smiled. "Did you enjoy yesterday?" he asked, wanting to make conversation. Hermione opened her eyes, but kept her smile.  
  
"I wouldn't have traded it for the world," she said and paused, "Well, maybe that whole 'I'm in love with Fristy' misunderstanding," Hermione smirked. Draco did not look amused.  
  
"I am NOT in love with Fristy, ew... I don't even want to think about that... oh great, thanks for the visuals, Hermione." He shuddered in disgust and Hermione laughed.  
  
"I know, I know...of course you're not," she said, still laughing. Hermione slid her hand down to Draco's, which still rested on her stomach. Draco moved his finger between two of hers, gliding over the ring. Hermione felt this and raised her hand to look at it herself. The silver glinted gold in the firelight and Hermione finally noticed the color scheme. "Our colors," she said in a tone that suggested she had just realized it.  
  
"Of course," he said as if it were obvious. Hermione smiled up at him and he moved his hand to once again roll softly over her hair. She visibly melted at his touch and closed her eyes again. "I would have had it set in gold, but it looked better this way," he stated, just wanting to have a conversation for once. Hermione smiled.  
  
"It's perfect," she said and continued to admire the fine piece of jewelry. Draco saw an opening for a quick witted compliment and decided to seize it.  
  
"Just like you," he whispered with a smile, looking down at her. Hermione took her eyes from her hand and connected them with the silver grey oculi of her Slytherin counterpart. She smiled and sighed happily.  
  
"You have no idea how it makes me feel when you say things like that," she said and moved her hand to cover his, which was resting lightly in her hair. Draco felt her squeeze his hand, and he returned the favor.  
  
"You deserve to hear it more often, love," he said truthfully. Hermione turned her head into him, nuzzling against his stomach, and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and inhaled the dulcet sent that was of Draco Malfoy. Hermione said nothing and Draco let the silence sit for a moment before once again speaking. "Hey, Hermione, how come all of our conversations seem to be all... heartfelt and... fluffy?" Hermione laughed and Draco smiled; he loved it when she laughed. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.  
  
"Did I just hear you say the word 'fluffy'?" she asked, smirking. Draco smiled; almost a smirk, but not quite.  
  
"What are you doing to me, Hermione?" he said and Hermione laughed again. She blinked her eyes suggestively and tried to look innocent.  
  
"Why nothing, Draco dear. You've brought this upon yourself," she said and smiled. Draco moved his thumb gently across her cheek and grinned warmly.  
  
"So I have," he said and looked up. When his eyes returned to hers, they looked confused. With a wrinkled brow he spoke again. "Wait, what are we talking about?" Hermione laughed once more and Draco smiled. She shrugged a little and slid her hand down to her stomach.  
  
"Why can't we just talk? Why does it always have to be about something?" she asked, sounding care-free. Draco shook his head.  
  
"Whatever you say, love," he said smiling. Hermione said nothing, but snuggled into him again. Draco felt the heart-racing tingle again and closed his eyes while it circulated through him. "Oh, I love that," he said quietly, thinking out loud. Hermione didn't move, but took a semi-deep breath.  
  
"What?" she asked quietly, not really paying attention. Draco popped his eyes back open and looked down at Hermione, curled up in his lap with her eyes closed.  
  
"You...this, everything," he said, deeply relaxing. Hermione moved a hand near her face, then let her fingers crawl under Draco's shirt. She slid her hand up and onto his abs, just resting it there. "Hey, why did you go to Hogsmeade anyway?" he asked, not about to question her voyaging hand. Hermione smiled.  
  
"It's December, Draco; why do you think I went to Hogsmeade?" she asked sweetly, not really sarcastic. Draco looked surprised, but Hermione didn't see him through her closed eyes.  
  
"It is?" he asked, sounding as surprised as he had looked. Hermione giggled a little.  
  
"Yes, it's the twelfth, in fact. Where have you been?" she asked, moving her hand up and little, then back down. The tingle returned to Draco as she did so and he held his breath in momentary bliss. She didn't move again, and the pleasure faded. Draco sighed a little and smiled.  
  
"Lost in thoughts of you, I suppose." Hermione smiled. Draco thought she might move again at that, but to his semi-disappointment, she remained still. "What do you want for Christmas, love?" he asked after a moment, curious. Unexpectedly, but much to Draco's pleasure, she moved herself closer to him and began to gently rub her thumb across his bare skin. Draco closed his eyes again; every stroke sent electric jolts through his body. It was indescribably extraordinary. Suddenly, she stopped.  
  
"You," she said quietly and didn't move; everything was perfect. As the tingle died away, Draco felt himself able to speak again. He smiled a little as he contemplated his response.  
  
"Oh, but Hermione; I gave you that yesterday." Hermione smiled and moved to sit up. She spun around and draped her legs over Draco's, sitting beside him. Draco could hardly contain himself as she did so, and sighed pleasurably as Hermione placed an arm around him and rested her head on his chest.  
  
"Well, I guess I'm all set then," she said and Draco sighed; she had stopped moving again. Hermione's hand was no longer up his shirt, and that too was disappointing.  
  
As if she knew was he was thinking, Hermione ran her hand from his chest to his abs and back again. Draco felt the tingle, but it was dulled. He yearned for the breath taking arrival that came whenever her bare skin touched his.  
  
"No, really; what do you want?" he asked, trying to take his mind of his addiction. Hermione smirked and moved her hand again. This time up to his shoulder and back.  
  
"Well, there is one thing..." she said and Draco looked almost surprised; he hadn't expected her to tell him.  
  
"I'm listening," he said when she didn't continue.  
  
"That's not what I want you to do," she said and looked up at him. Draco didn't have time to be confused; Hermione connected her lips with his almost before he could register her words. The incredible sensation hit Draco hard enough to cause him to pull back; he hadn't expected that and he wasn't ready.  
  
Draco looked at Hermione and saw the deeply hurt look in her eyes. Fear clouded his and he did the only thing he could think of; kiss her. Hermione would have pulled back, but she just couldn't. She fell into the gentle kiss, wanting nothing more than to be doing exactly what she was.  
  
"What was that for?" she asked, almost hurt, when the kiss was over. Draco felt himself begin to panic; what had possessed him to do that? As always when he felt uncomfortable, Draco tried to distract her with sarcasm.  
  
"You said that's what you wanted, or at least that's what I thought," he said with a small smirk. Hermione pretended that she hadn't heard him, and looked expectantly at Draco, silently telling him to say something more. Draco sighed with a frown. "I'm sorry; I guess I wasn't ready." Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Draco Malfoy not ready for an unexpected kiss?" she said in mock- disbelief. Draco smiled, feeling a little relieved.  
  
"Hermione Granger dare question Draco Malfoy?" he said in the same tone, briefly surprised at how unfamiliar his name sounded when it passed through his lips. Hermione giggled and nuzzled her head into Draco's neck. The tingle was surprisingly mild for such and act and Draco hoped it wasn't going away for good.  
  
"Wow, that sentence brings back some bad memories," she said, thinking out loud. Draco turned and kissed her head.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said and wrapped an arm around her. Hermione laughed again as she heard him.  
  
"No, you're right. How dare I question Draco Malfoy, debonair extraordinaire, almighty king of the Slytherins!?" she said, smiling. Draco smiled too.  
  
"Hear me roar," he said unenthusiastically, making her giggle again. "Hermione, what's gotten into you? You're suddenly acting very... jovial," he said and Hermione giggled harder. She was indeed acting oddly, overly girlish and giggly.  
  
"I don't know, but I like it. I feel all light and airy," she said, smiling. Draco smirked as a comment came to him.  
  
"You mean like popcorn?" he whispered seductively, just to make her laugh, and Hermione burst into another giggle fit.  
  
"Interesting way of looking at it," she managed to say, still laughing. When she calmed down a bit, Draco tried to defend himself a little.  
  
"Look who's talking, Miss 'I'm not going to black-mail Fate into giving me a kid,'" he said sarcastically and she smiled.  
  
"Good point; I've changed my mind about that, though," she said, thoughtfully. Draco looked surprised  
  
"How exactly are you planning to black mail a mythical being that exists only in the underworld?" he asked and Hermione laughed a little.  
  
"No, I mean about not trying. I really do want a child, but if Fate says no, there are other ways to get one. I don't care if it's my child or someone else's, I just want to be somebody's mother," she said and closed her eyes. Draco smiled; her dreams were so sweet and attainable...except maybe that butter delusion.  
  
"It was Lucifer, wasn't it?" he asked and Hermione wrinkled her brow in confusion.  
  
"What?" she asked, in the dark.  
  
"It was Lucifer that changed your mind," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Ultimately, yes; although it would have happened sooner or later anyway. Doesn't just holding a baby make you want one?" she asked, moving her hand up a little. Draco smiled at the dull tingle, then sighed for effect.  
  
"Is that what you want for Christmas? I can try, but two weeks is a little short notice, and I don't know how much our parents would appreciate that gift," he said and she hit him playfully. Draco laughed.  
  
"Draco," she warned and kissed him on his neck, below his jaw line.  
  
"You know what they say about women and holding babies, don't you?" he asked, taunting her. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yes, but I'm not planning on screwing anyone anytime soon; so if I do get pregnant, it will be someone's reincarnation or the child of the gods or something, and that's a tad bit creepy, don't you think?" Draco laughed and shook his head. Hermione sighed. "I know, I know, I'm insane."  
  
"My words exactly," he said with a smile, "...but I agree; that would be creepy." Hermione laughed again and Draco smiled. "I love it when you laugh," he said truthfully and Hermione kissed his neck again. Draco smiled wider at the tingle and was glad it was there; he had been afraid he had lost it. "All this talk of popcorn is making me hungry; do you want to come to brunch with me, love?"  
  
"Of course I will," she said and lifted herself up gently. "I didn't eat breakfast either; I was hoping to be back before you woke up," Hermione said and touched her lips to his briefly, then pulled back again. She looked suspiciously thoughtful for a moment, then smiled and stood from the pale boy's lap.  
  
Draco stood as well, with a broad smile on his face. Hermione took his hand in hers and he took a quick breath as the wonderful sensation hit his nerves. Hermione noticed this and looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"Why do you always do that?" she asked softly.  
  
"Do what?" he asked, not sure what she meant. Hermione dropped his hand and let her slender fingers reach up and track lightly across his face. Draco couldn't help but to close his eyes and savor the sensation.  
  
"That," she explained, "Whenever I touch you..." she trailed off, sounding emotionless; Hermione didn't know how to feel. Draco smiled and placed his handover hers on his cheek.  
  
"You do something to me that I can't explain Hermione, and I love it." She smiled.  
  
"There you go, making me feel like popcorn again," she said as if embarrassed and Draco frowned a little.  
  
"Sorry," he said, but Hermione smiled and shook her head.  
  
"No, it's nice," she said and moved close to him. Draco smirked.  
  
"Well, let's go get some then; I'm starving," he said and took her hand, then started to the door. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Whatever you say, Draco," she said and began to follow him. Draco turned to her with a laughable pout on his face.  
  
"Hey, don't talk to me like that. You're the one who's crazy, not me." Hermione raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh really?" she asked, almost a dare. Draco smirked.  
  
"Need I remind you of the original 'I'm not going to blackmail Fate', then 'I've changed my mind, I AM going to blackmail him.' The ever popular 'I am the virgin mother of a reincarnation of the gods'" he paused, then smirked, "...and last, but not least, the 'butter' slip-up?" Hermione listened and looked at him for only a moment before she burst out laughing.  
  
"Okay, okay...you win; I'm crazy," she said through giggle fits.  
  
"That's what I thought," he said and kissed her lightly near her mouth. Hermione smiled and followed Draco through the portrait and into the hall.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Their brunch was longer than expected, as Dobby joined them. It was at Hermione's request that he do so and Dobby was happy to do anything she wanted. The trio dined not on popcorn, but rather on cold chicken sandwiches and pumpkin juice.  
  
No more than forty five minutes in, Dobby insisted that he get back to work and Hermione thanked him for joining them.  
  
"Damn," Draco said when the house elf had left, "I was looking forward to that popcorn." Hermione laughed and decided to poke a little fun at herself.  
  
"Buttered popcorn?" she asked, sounding mock suspicious. Draco raised an eyebrow at her, then lowered it and smirked.  
  
"If you so desire, my love," he said and pecked her harmlessly on the cheek. Hermione smiled sweetly.  
  
"Hmm," she said in a sort of laugh, then spoke again after a minute. "Hey, where was Mr. Whize last night? Brandon, did you say?" Hermione wondered why she had thought of it, but decided that she was still thinking about Lucifer.  
  
"Well, Blandon, but he was working, I believe. I'm not sure exactly what he does, I don't pry, but he works strange hours for very little pay. He probably came home a few hours after we left; I'm sorry you couldn't meet him, he's a very pleasant man," he explained, leaning his chair back on two legs.  
  
"He's sarcastic like Clara, isn't he?" she asked in mild curiosity and an aura of all-knowing. Draco smiled.  
  
"He is, actually. How did you know?" he asked, not really sounding surprised. Hermione smiled and shrugged.  
  
"I'm observant. Mrs. Whize seems very much like Fristy, although not as jealous, and I just implied it. However, I can't judge as I hardly know these people." She smiled, thinking of the quaint family of house elves she had met the day before.  
  
"And my mother?" Draco asked and Hermione looked at him, not sure what he was asking.  
  
"Your mother? What about her?" she asked, assuming she sounded very silly; asking stupid questions. Draco just smiled.  
  
"Well, what do you think of her?" he asked, almost impatient.  
  
"I'm not going to lie to you; she's nothing like I thought she would be. Remember, I did see her briefly at the Quidditch cup forth year. She was much more motherly and kind than I expected," she said smiling, "Please take no offence, that sounded much more obloquious than I had anticipated."  
  
"Of course not; so, do you like her?" he asked, eager to hear her answer.  
  
"Yes, she seems wonderful," Hermione answered then paused while Draco smiled broadly, "Do you think she likes me?" she asked. Draco nodded, obviously happy. "Good, I was nervous; your mother is intimidating just because she is, in fact, your mother." Draco smiled.  
  
"Funny; I've never gotten that vibe from her," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Of course you haven't, you're not her son's girlfriend. But don't feel bad; you'll pay me back for both her and Mrs. Whize. I'm not sure when you can meet my parents though; not only have I never brought home a boy, or girl for that matter, I have also neglected to inform them of my dating expeditions.  
  
"They've met Harry and Ron at the station, but other than that, I don't think they know about any of my other friends. For all I know they think I'm a nun; it might be surprising if I just owl them and say I want them to meet my boyfriend. That is if you want to meet them; I don't know how much you'll like them...they're both muggles after all. Not much in common with you at all, really," she explained, trying to hide her uneasiness.  
  
"Of course I want to meet them. I'm sure I'll love them; they sired you, after all... how bad can they possibly be?" he said, dropping the chair to all fours again. Hermione turned to him and looked a little scared.  
  
"Famous last words," she said, looking at the floor. Draco shook his head with a smirk and leaned in closer to her. He lifted her chin gently and touched his lips to hers. The tingle didn't come until she kissed back and Draco realized it was only one way. If he touched her, nothing more than usual teenage male-type feelings, but if she touched him...indescribable pleasure jolted his body, making each nerve spark simultaneously. He broke away with a smile.  
  
"Everything will be fine, Hermione. Why does this make you so paranoid? We've been though tougher situations than tea with my mum... although the tea part made ME paranoid. I swear I'm never drinking tea again; you wouldn't believe how nervous I was after three cups in one day." She giggled a little and smiled as she answered.  
  
"Yes, the death grip you kept on my hand at all times gave that away rather quickly," she said. Draco blushed a little and Hermione sighed as she prepared to answer. "I guess because this is like, the next step in our relationship. Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not, just... I don't know. It's a big important move forward and I just don't want anything to go wrong. I've never been this involved with anyone before; I'm working blindly," Hermione explained and Draco kissed her softly again.  
  
"I love you," he said and Hermione felt the intense truth behind it. She giggled.  
  
"I'm getting all popcorn-y again," she said and grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's go do something fun," she suggested, pulling effortlessly and standing up. Draco sighed.  
  
"Alright; as long as it's not shopping," he said and stood. Hermione smirked.  
  
"Now, now, Draco dear, do I look like one to go shopping twice in one day?" she asked; sweet and sarcastic, blinking her eyes suggestively. Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I don't know," he said suspiciously, "...are you?" Hermione's only response was to giggle and pull him out of the great hall. Draco followed, although reluctant. **I hope to hell you're not, my dear... but I'm not holding my breath.**  
  
  
  
A/N I know, not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but they had some important conversations. Hehe.  
  
PRF  
  
Nikki - Okay, I think that a Harry Potter television series would just ruin the whole thing; but spin-off books are okay. Draco is DEFINITELY the sexiest definitely name I've ever heard, lol... that alone would make me double-take, haha. Thanx for reading and I'm glad you like it so much! And exactly, Everyone has problems.... even fairy tale lovers such as our good friends; Draco and Hermione.  
  
Sakke Yuy- Ohayo Miss Sakke! Well, I THOUGHT I knew what I was talking about, but apparently, some people disagree ::cough:: Lirawen ::cough:: (Read her review, total opposite) Yeah, people tend to ignore a lot of things that I just HAVE to make prominent...haha. Thanx for reading again so quickly!  
  
Karly- Hey, girl! It is a little sad... but I couldn't make them stay mad for long. Their fights NEVER last long. It just hurts ME to tear them apart, lol. Did you want me to, essentially, re-write your chapter? Like I said, I have a big huge midterm on Monday, which is tomorrow, but I can do it later tomorrow or Tuesday.... get back to me.  
  
Dracoluver- Thanx, I'm lucky to have loyal fans like you!  
  
Dramaqueen- I LOVED of Dragons and Faeries... and thanx for your unwavering and constant praise, even if I don't deserve it! Haha! Thanx for reading; I try and read all the HP stories of my reviewers, the D/Hr ones in particular, and I'm glad that you do the same. It's the least we can do after they read and criticize us, right? Lol.  
  
Te Weaver Atropos- Interesting penname, by the way. I like it. Lol, I'm glad I could 'brighten your day', that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Tommy boy Felton is already on my GILF list. (Guy I'd Like to F...you know) haha. I know, his walk, his style, his malicious smirk.... everything about that guy just screams ATTACK ME, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO! Lol. Anyway, did you want to be on the mailing list? I see you put your email there... I put you on but I'll gladly take you off if you wish; no hard feelings... :o)  
  
Gwyn- Thanx, and of course. I am loyal to my loyalties.  
  
Lirawen- Ah, yes. You. Well... ever since I received the review notification e-mail this morning, I've been waiting to tell you just what I think about your review. First of all, I want to say that I appreciate your criticism and effort to improve my story, and I know that you are entitled to your opinion. However, I have to say that you are in a very small crowd, my friend. Unless I have been led on or pitied, you are the only one of the two hundred some-odd people who reviewed who DIDN'T like my story. I'll have you know that no, I have not been in a so called 'serious relationship' but I don't see how that's relevant. Who are you to pass judgment on the entire population of 17 year-olds? Yes, I know most guys would screw just about anything willing, and I know most girls would probably let it get too far, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE is like that. You don't know everyone. I don't know everyone. Don't act all superior to me, just because you've lived a fraction longer. And just because you were too afraid to be wrong that you didn't go as far with your stories as I have when you were just starting out, doesn't mean it's wrong to take risks and try things. Do you fear your peers? I believe that's a habit that isn't exactly good for you. Very restricting. Anyway, on to the plot. Yes, it revolves around Draco and Hermione. That was sort of the entire point of the entire story, but thank you for pointing out that painfully obvious observation. I didn't really get a whole lot of repetition sticking out at me as I read this, and so far you are the only one to have picked up on it, if it's there. I did the whole angst thing, now I'm going with lots of little stories that fit together, such as the Seattle trip. Simple story, fits into the quilt of the fic. Basically, if this is how you feel about my story, then that's just fine. However, miss 'I am all powerful, do everything I say because I know everything', you could have been a little nicer in your critique. You know what I got from your review? " Your story is a piece of shit and I know this because I am better than you. Way better than you; exponentially better than you. You pathetic little child, ignorant to everything deemed mature." Well, shove it up your ass, because if you can't deal with the fact that not everyone thinks exactly the same way you do, I don't need to listen to your crap. I appreciate the time you've taken to belittle me, and I hope you had a jolly fun time doing so, but you are just one person. I don't even know you. One person does not matter to me. If you are seeking universal popularity, have a seat in the mythological Chair of Forgetfulness, because you're going to be waiting a while.  
  
Carla - Sorry, I thought you'd pick up on that. Clara is one of the Whize's. You know, the sarcastic one, twin sister to Fristy, the infatuated one? Yeah, well, that's okay. Yes, they did over-react, but Draco's reaction will be explained later. Hermione basically is just kinda frustrated that he's getting all worked up about something so mediocre. The crying? Well, that was just a Flames of Ecstasy Hermione thing to do, wasn't it? My version of her always seems to be crying... haha. She got over it by morning...hehe  
  
Starry Skies - Just keep rambling, haha... it makes people feel insignificant, lol... that is unless you're talking about something really stupid, then they feel superior.... it's complicated, lol. Thanks for liking my story, and thanks for checking back.  
  
Dreamfire - I know; I should have made them fight more, but I just hate to have them mad at each other. Plus, my Draco is like freaking giving himself up to Hermione and doing whatever the hell she asks him to do, which is way OOC, Draco has always been a very opinionated and independent person. I just don't know... I'm sure there will be more fights. Actually, I KNOW there will be more fights; I've already written a few. 


	23. The Green Monster and the Honey Bee

Disclaimer: Cause we're the ones who want to read. Always want to write but we never use our seed. We are the ones who want to choose. Always want the praise but we have nothing to lose. When you lose small mind, eternal prize. ~ Spin off of System of a Down's, Aerials. Good song.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: The Green Monster and the Honey Bee  
  
To Draco's relief, they did not go shopping. Instead, they just walked through the halls, looking into unfamiliar classrooms and talking. Hermione seemed so happy and carefree, Draco couldn't tell her how intensely bored he was. Hermione could tell anyway, by the way he smiled; you could tell a lot of things by the way Draco smiled, that is if you were lucky enough to see him do so. His smile today was forced and small, but Hermione was glad he was just letting her be happy without complaint; Harry and Ron never did that.  
  
"You're going to have to go shopping eventually, you know. Please don't tell me you don't even give your own mother a Christmas present; I did, so you should," she told him as they walked, hand in hand.  
  
"Of course I do, I'd just rather go alone. No offense, but shopping with girls is not a pleasant experience. I've gone with my mother, Mrs. Whize, as a chaperone for each Clara and Fristy, and of course Pansy. Every girl is exactly the same; they all get all giggly, especially if with another girl, and run from store to store, spending hours in each one, only to end up buying the first thing they saw when they entered," he explained with a frown. Hermione was giggling through his entire speech. She nodded when he stopped to look at her; that was exactly how almost every girl shopped. Some worse than others, but ultimately everyone.  
  
"Of course; why do you think they always put the expensive stuff in the display? First thing you see when you walk in..." Hermione reasoned with a wide smile. Draco smiled too, then looked a little skeptical, remembering a previous statement.  
  
"Wait, did you say you bought my mother a present?" Hermione laughed a little, surprised at the subject change.  
  
"Yes, of course," she answered, getting over the shopping conversation.  
  
"Oh great, now I have to get stuff for people I don't even know. This is hopeless, I'm not good at this shopping thing, Hermione. No one ever likes anything I buy, I'm challenged in the area of merchandising," he said, sounding almost nervous. Hermione laughed.y did not go shopping. exitp a bit? Unstoppable. ver that mean old lady used to get the kid in the carraige!, I have also n  
  
"What are you talking about, my parents? No, actually I don't want you to get them anything. You don't know my parents; they overreact to everything," she said and he interrupted.  
  
"Sounds like someone else I know," he said quietly, for effect.  
  
"Shut up," she said, smiling. Draco, also grinning, held his unoccupied hand up in surrender. Hermione shook her head and continued talking. "No, they're worse than even me. That would be one odd Christmas morning: 'Draco, who's Draco?'  
  
'I think he's the guy Hermione always seemed to complain about whenever she came home; maybe it's a bomb'  
  
'Oh no! Wait, didn't she say she was dating some guy named Draco?'  
  
'Yes, but it can't be the same person, just to be careful; let's burn it'  
  
'What if it is from her boyfriend, we've never met him, do you think they're having sex? Why would he send us a gift if not because he feels guilty? Oh my god, my poor baby!'  
  
"Basically, present from you equals a ton of explaining and attempts convincing of the un-convincible. Please don't, it will be much easier that way. They'll never trust either of us again otherwise." Draco couldn't help but laugh and Hermione smiled. Draco so rarely laughed, more now than he used to, but still rarely.  
  
"Wow, you've got them pretty much figured out, don't you? You're right, that is more overreacting than you; an innocent gift automatically means I'm raping you? That's cheerful, I'm excited about meeting them now," he said and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Draco still loved kissing her, even if it didn't bring with it the exotic tingle. Hermione smiled.  
  
"So my parents are out, but you still have to buy for your mother and the entire Whize family, which I did this morning. Anyone else? What about the Draco Malfoy fan club?" she asked, smirking after her last statement. Draco let out a short laugh.  
  
"You mean Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle? Why would I do that?" he asked in near astonishment. She shrugged with a smile. "Wait, you said the entire Whize family. What about Mr. Whize, you've never met him; how is that different from me buying for your parents?" he asked.  
  
"Did you even hear what I said my parents would think? Number one, he is not my parents and number two, presents from girls are much less suspicious than presents from boys. All girls shop for everyone they can think of, it's normal. As you clearly stated, boys don't do shopping. It makes sense," she said, sounding care-free. "Plus, I got them a family gift, not individual ones. Well...except Lucifer, I couldn't resist the infant section; everything is so adorable." Draco shook his head and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Girls. So let's see, I've got Mum, the Whizes, you, of course, and Harry and Ron. I should probably get them something anyway; to look good, if not because I want to. I think that's it. Wow, that's a depressingly small amount of people," he said, but didn't sound depressed; it was more than last year.  
  
"I'm not much better, I have everyone you said plus the Weasley's, Ginny, and my parents. Still not that many, but if your goal is universal popularity, you're going to be waiting a long time," she said, also sounding cheerful. There was silence for a while and Draco just looked around the corridor with an expression of thought on his face.  
  
"Hey, Hermione...why are there no Christmas decorations? If it is the day you say it is, shouldn't Peeves be walking around with mistletoe, catching unsuspecting couples? And where's the snow? I love the snow they have inside," he sounded almost disappointed. "That's usually when I go shopping, when it starts to snow inside and I'm forced to kiss people I don't even know; gets me into the holiday spirit." Hermione smiled and moved closer to him.  
  
"I don't know, maybe they didn't think them necessary with only us," she suggested.  
  
"Are you kidding? Dumbledore would do it if it were just him and Snape, much less the head boy and girl." Hermione gasped and put her spare hand to her forehead. "What?" Draco asked, as always- concerned.  
  
"We are head boy and girl aren't we?" she asked and Draco looked at her as if she were crazy.  
  
"Yes, love, how could you forget? You only see the sign that says so every night before you go to bed. Hermione, have you really gone mad?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Shut up, if we're head boy and girl, aren't we supposed to decorate the castle?" she asked, looking at him. Draco laughed.  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. But we should ask Dumbledore before we just go enchanting snow, don't you think?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, but not right now," she said and kissed him on the cheek. Draco held his breath until she spoke again. "We have to go shopping!" she said and pulled him toward another corridor. Draco was much stronger and spun her back to him, letting her run into his chest. He pulled an arm tight around her, trapping her there. Hermione giggled as he kissed her, then kissed back; biting his lip softly. Draco smiled when they broke apart.  
  
"Aren't we just full of surprises today?" he said, then dropped his grin. "Do we HAVE to go? Why can't we just stay here and you can surprise me some more," he suggested and Hermione kissed him again.  
  
"After that whole conversation, you didn't actually think I was going to let you off with NOT going, did you? Yes, we are most defiantly going. Care to argue?" she said with a smirk, knowing he couldn't resist her. Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Alright, I'll go. Bloody hell, what is it with girls and shopping with guys? I've never made you do anything guy-like with me. I could have taken you to watch Quidditch instead of that play. I was thinking about it, actually...not Quidditch per-say, but something you wouldn't like, just to piss you off," he told her, smirking.  
  
"Oh, that's wonderful. How romantic, I'm flattered that you put so much thought into pissing me off, Draco. Really," she said sarcastically, then smiled; she knew he was kidding.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco followed Hermione aimlessly though the streets of Hogsmeade. The trip wasn't entirely unpleasant for him; he was, after all, with her. He would do anything for her, she owned him, and she knew it. Draco was certain she felt that subtle power she held over him and was subconsciously glad she loved him. Power over a Malfoy was rarely possessed by anyone other than another Malfoy; in the wrong hands it could be dangerous.  
  
"Draco, what are you planning on buying your mother?" Hermione asked, looking through a rack of robes, breaking Draco from his thoughts. They had bought very little, as it was a shopping trip for Draco and he was not an avid shopper. The couple drifted in and out of various shops, many of which they would never buy from.  
  
"I don't know, I never do. She has everything," he said, sounding bland but caring.  
  
"What did you get her last year?" she asked, trying to be of some assistance.  
  
"Socks," he said seriously. Hermione stopped and looked at him as if he were insane. "I'm joking, love, I'm not that dense. Actually, I gave her a rather large assortment of chocolates. It was a flop, however; Lucius ate them all." He smiled at her and Hermione tried to smile back.  
  
"Is it hard, being the first Christmas without your father?" she asked kindly. Draco nearly shrugged and continued looking at the robes in front of him.  
  
"Yes and no. Lucius was a horrible person, so it's almost peaceful and serene without him. Happier; more Christmas-y. Then again, he was my father and he was family. He's been there for every wretched Christmas I can remember before school. Then I just stayed over vacation; glad to not be home but feeling guilty about leaving mum alone with him, knowing he'll get drunk and rape her.  
  
"At least at school I don't have to sit in my room trying futilely to block out the screams." He sighed and looked at the paled and scared Hermione who stood a few feet away from him. "No, it's okay, don't look like that. Now is it understandable why I'm not wallowing in grief? This year will be so much better than last year and all the years past. This year, Lucius is dead, Mum is safe from certain torture, and you're here with me. What a happy Christmas," he said, taking a step closer and standing beside her. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too," she said and leaned into him. "I'm sorry; that was just surreal and creepy. What you were saying, yes, but more so how you said it. Emotionless. Draco, sometimes you just creep me out."  
  
"Um, I'm sorry?" he said, apologizing but unsure if that's what she was looking for. They began to walk toward the doors.  
  
"Don't be. I just thought I'd tell you; if you ever wanted me to doubt my sanity, and/or yours, that would be the way to go about it." Draco laughed and opened the door for Hermione, letting her go first into the crowded street.  
  
"Where to next, love?" he asked, coming from behind and wrapping his arms around her, his chin on her shoulder. Hermione turned her head to the side, letting her nose brush against Draco's cheek. She closed her eyes and shrugged.  
  
"It doesn't matter, but we HAVE to go to Honeyduke's before we leave. I noticed my stash has mysteriously been emptied and it is vital to my health, and probably yours, that I replenish it as soon as possible. I can't believe I forgot to this morning, I walked right by the store and didn't even think about it...I guess I was preoccupied," she said and pulled his hands from her waist, keeping one and beginning to make her way down the street. Draco looked amused and curious.  
  
"Your 'stash'? What are you talking about?" he asked as he walked beside her.  
  
"Chocolate," she said, her voice dripping with desire. "My chocolate stash; I'm a teenage girl, Draco. A day without that sugary sustenance is like a day without... a kiss. Just can't do it, won't work." Draco smiled.  
  
"Well, you certainly don't look like you eat all that much," he said and kissed her rosy cheek. "How is it that you talk about chocolate with more enthusiasm and excitement than you talk about me?" he asked with a fake pout. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Because I have you; I don't have any chocolate."  
  
"Oh great, now an imported commercial junk food with no nutritional value is officially more unattainable than I am? That's wonderful," Draco said with sarcasm. Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek. "So this stash of yours just mysteriously disappeared? Hm, wonder how that happened... maybe you should tell me where it is and I can investigate. My money's on your cat; it's certainly got room."  
  
"Hey, don't insult my cat! And fat chance about me telling you where it is, I know what will come of that." Draco mocked a hurt look, accompanied by a fake pout. Hermione smiled. "That's adorable. Now, don't let me forget again, or you'll regret it later. You shall feel my wrath, pale grasshopper."  
  
"Okay, now you're creeping me out; what the hell are you talking about? Did you just call me an insect? You think I'm bugging you now, I'll show you what bugging is like. You know nothing," he threatened her with an enormous grin. Hermione giggled.  
  
"God, Draco. Get over yourself," she said in a kind tone that did not fit the statement.  
  
"I suppose I could, but first I must get over you; and that will never happen," he said, leaning in to whisper it in her ear. Hermione felt her skin tingle where his cheek had nearly touched hers. Then, he pulled his head away and straightened up. "Let's find that muggle clothing store," he said, craning his neck in search.  
  
"Why?" she asked, for no real reason. He could buy gifts there, why not? Draco looked at her with a half smile.  
  
"Isn't that what you normally do on shopping trips? Try on a bunch of clothes and ask for opinions?" he asked.  
  
"That's what I do on shopping trips with Ginny," she said, looking like she was caught in a dream she knew she was having. **What does he want to try on clothes for, anyway? Weird...**  
  
"Well, what's Ginny got that I haven't got?" he asked, looking pout-y again. Hermione smiled deviously.  
  
"Actually, I think it's what you've got that she hasn't..." she began, only to be cut of by a semi-shocked Draco.  
  
"Hermione! You don't have to be so crude, you know. You could have said something like 'fashion sense' or 'she's a girl'," he said, smirking. Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Sorry; I couldn't resist. You set yourself up for that one, you know. Besides, how do I know you have no fashion sense? All your clothes pretty much match each other and I've never been shopping with you before. The store is over there," she said, interrupting herself and pointing, then went back to making her point. "For all I know, you could have a better clothes-matching ability than... um... wait, has there EVER been a male with an eye for clothes?"  
  
"I don't know, but you're rambling. Are we going to find out or not?" he asked and she shrugged.  
  
"I guess," she agreed, still a little amused that he wanted to do something so feminine. The hand-clasped couple made their way into the surprisingly empty clothing shop. Most wizards would rather wear robes than muggle clothes, so they didn't make practical gifts and no one was hanging around buying them. Except Draco and Hermione, that is.  
  
Hermione went frantic as soon as they crossed the threshold. Draco gapped at her in awe as she moved from rack to rack with amazing speed. She would, at almost every pause, pick up something to try on. Her pale grasshopper of a boyfriend snapped back to reality after a second and began to pick out a few selections for her as well.  
  
After only a few minutes, Hermione headed off to the dressing room with an armful of garments. Draco followed her, toting a much smaller array. He handed them to Hermione just before she walked behind the curtain, then sat in the chair a few feet away. She looked at him, a little confused.  
  
"You're just going to sit there and wait for me to try on stuff, just to give your opinion?" she asked, thinking that was rather odd. Seamus Finnegan probably wouldn't even enjoy doing that; and he was very 'feminine'.  
  
"That would be the general idea, yes. We're trying to determine if I am possibly the first man in history with good fashion sense. I'm willing to do anything it takes," Draco said with a sarcastic smirk. Hermione shook her head and giggled, then slipped through the curtain with her arm full of clothes.  
  
She came out first wearing black leather pants and a green, faux snake skin, tube-top that showed three or four inches of her midsection. Draco stared for a moment, then smiled widely and gave a slight nod. Hermione crossed her arms and cocked her hips.  
  
"Right, get me a leather whip and some chains and we'll be all set," she said sarcastically. Draco jumped up with a smirk, as if to fulfill her request. Hermione shook her head at him and went back through the curtain.  
  
This same routine continued for over an hour with both Hermione and Draco showing reactions ranging from laughter to shock to utter disgust. Hermione was enjoying herself; she loved to see Draco's reaction every time she opened the curtain and it made her heart flutter each time she pleased him.  
  
"Aren't you getting bored?" Hermione asked, taking a step toward him while wearing a black sweater and stonewashed jeans, flared widely at the knee. Draco smiled as she came closer, trying to thing of something to clever to say, which for Draco Malfoy was not difficult.  
  
"No way, it's like the best Christmas ever in slow motion; there may be some time between presents, but I get exactly what I wanted every time, just wrapped in different paper." Hermione was next to him now, kneeling between his legs while he sat in the solitary chair. She turned her head away and closed her eyes, trying to hide how good his words made her feel, but her smile told all. "What?" he asked placing a hand on her cheek. "Is it the popcorn again? We really should do something about that."  
  
Hermione giggled a little and nodded before looking up into the smirking face of her Malfoy. She smiled as he leaned closer, closing her eyes in time for their lips to touch. Hermione wouldn't let the kiss get too good; they were in public after all. She pulled away gently so Draco would not misunderstand and smiled at him.  
  
"I bet I could guess what Pansy would say if you said that to her," Hermione began and Draco frowned a little.  
  
"Well, I would never say that to her...and why do we have to bring her up?" he asked and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"You're nice to my old boyfriend, why shouldn't I be nice to your ex- girlfriend?" she said innocently. Draco sighed and rolled his eyes a little, but he was still smiling.  
  
"All right, if I were in Gryffindor, you failed an exam, and I said that to Pansy, what would she say?" Hermione giggled and batted her eye lashes.  
  
"Well Drakkie-po, why don't we go back to the castle so you can unwrap your Christmas present?" she purred, sounding very much like Pansy. Draco stared blankly at her and blinked.  
  
"Okay, that was the creepiest thing I have ever heard in my life. Please refrain from ever trying to sound like Pansy again, it freaks me out in ways I never thought possible," he told her with a shell-shocked but serious look on his slightly over-paled face. Hermione giggled and he spoke again, this time smiling. "And I thought you were being nice, that wasn't very nice at all, for me or her, no matter how true it may be."  
  
"Okay, maybe nice was too strong a word. How about conscious of? Or viciously jealous?" she said, speaking the last three words quietly. Draco started for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Jealous? Why are you jealous of Pansy? I'd rather kiss Finnegan than spend ten minutes within a hundred foot radius of the wench. I never liked her at all, Hermione. I was just betrothed to her," he said calmly and Hermione's head popped up to look at him.  
  
"Marry Pansy?" she asked, her heart racing with fear and anger, **Why did he get involved with me if he has to marry that bitch next year? How could he not have said?** "You have to marry her and you never thought to tell me?" she asked, anger apparent in her voice. Draco paled and hastily explained.  
  
"No, Hermione, you don't understand. I wasn't legally betrothed, it was more like my father saying 'you shall marry the Parkinson girl or I will kick your ass.' He died, Hermione; I'm off the hook. Do you think I would hurt you like that; do you honestly think I could do that to you?  
  
"I love you, Hermione, but I wouldn't have gotten involved if I knew I had to leave you. I swear I would never do that... I'm sorry." Hermione nodded and he embraced her. They hugged for a while, then Hermione pulled back, wiping a tear stained face. "Is that the last one?" he asked, changing the subject. Hermione smiled brightly, her mind back on clothes.  
  
"There's one more; I saved the best one for last," she said, jumping up. Draco looked up at her with a smile and she leaned down again for a quick kiss before running back through the curtains. Draco sighed; **That was very close, stupid git. What the hell were you thinking, just blurting it out like that?** he thought and continued to curse himself until Hermione walked back through the curtain. The chair he was balancing on two legs fell backward when is eyes connected with her newest ensemble. Hermione immediately rushed to his side, but he had already stood up.  
  
"You look b-beautiful," he said, rather awkwardly- much unlike him. Hermione giggled; she was wearing a cinnamon red dress, slim and skimpy, cut off an inch above the floor, and there were thin straps which crossed behind the very low cut back. It was a gorgeous dress, simple and elegant. She spun for him.  
  
"Do you like it?" she asked and Draco nodded, unable to speak. "It's the last one," the dress-clad girl said, a little sadly.  
  
"Do you want it?" he asked, finally finding words. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yes, but I'm not buying it. It's a little pricey and impractical. There's no ball this year, I wouldn't get a chance to wear it." Draco was a little disappointed; she looked stunning.  
  
"There's always the Graduation Dance and I wouldn't dream of cutting into your chocolate account; it's on me," he said, attempting the impossible. When Hermione makes up her mind, there's no changing it. She smirked at him.  
  
"Actually, right now it's on me, but I'd like to see it on you," she said before slipping back through the curtain.  
  
"Haha, very funny. Where did you learn to twist words like that; me?" he called after her, straightening the chair.  
  
"I only learn from the best," she called back, laughing. Hermione changed back into her original outfit, then exited with an armful of garments. Draco looked at her, noting that the pile was too small to be everything she had tried on. Then, his eyes noticed the spicy red dress on the top and stepped up to help.  
  
"Here, let me take these and you can get the rest, alright? And I want you to pick out something, we're not leaving yet another store empty handed. Plus, we did spend over an hour in here without purpose, I think it's the least we can do to buy something," he said, taking the pile from her arms.  
  
"Well, I guess you're right. We did have a purpose though, Drakkie-po. I now know that you have even less taste in clothes than Harry." He smiled a little.  
  
"Oh great, another thing Potter is better at than me, and PLEASE don't call me that," he said; Hermione giggled.  
  
"What, you want to have taste? I can just see you bragging to your Slytherin brigade, 'I have WAY more fashion sense than Potter. He couldn't match shoes to save his life,'" she finished with a giggle.  
  
"No, I suppose not. Run along and get the rest of the clothes; Honeyduke's closes in three hours, it might take us that long to put all of this back. Remember to save something love, anything, I don't care." Hermione giggled and pecked his cheek before turning back to the dressing room with a nod. As Draco had expected, it took her a few minutes to decide what to keep, that was good, he was counting on that. He hastily put things away, most where they were supposed to go, than dashed off to the other side of the store.  
  
Hermione stood behind the curtain, looking at the array of clothing she had been left with. **Something black; Draco likes black...** she decided and extracted all of the black items. ** Now, what do I look best in?** she asked herself, remembering what each item looked like. She finally decided on a shirt she had not shown Draco. When Hermione had put it on, she didn't like the way it had looked with her current pant selection and changed out of it.  
  
She did love the shirt, she had just forgotten to put it back on for him. It was black, of course, and comfortable. The main part was simple cotton, tied in the front in a Renaissance style. From the shoulders, the long sleeves were sheer, but also black, exposing her arms. The same, fish net like, material cascaded from below her breasts, creating a semi-translucent curtain and uncovering her navel.  
  
**Revealing, black, and I look damn good in it. He'll love it,** she decided and concealed it under the other clothes, then she exited the room.  
  
Hermione looked around for Draco, but for a moment couldn't find him. His blonde hair caught her eye, however, and she spotted him near the counter, seemly talking to the man behind it. **Shit, how am I going to do this?** she thought, biting her lip. Draco glanced over at her from the man, then did a double take and excused himself from the conversation. The man looked toward Hermione, then back to Draco as he asked something. The man smiled and nodded in answer to Draco's question and Draco started toward Hermione.  
  
"All set then?" he asked after coming close enough to her and kissing her below the ear. She smiled and nodded.  
  
"Here, could you put these away while I go check out? Meet me over there, you'll probably be done before I am." Draco nodded and took the pile of clothes from her. Hermione made sure to keep the black top tight in her hand and kissed his cheek quickly in distraction before turning to the counter. Draco saw that the item was black, but didn't see much more of the detail.  
  
"Hey, don't you want me to-" he began, but she wasn't listening. He watched her make her way to the desk, then turned and began putting things away again. As he had expected, but evidently Hermione didn't, she finished checking out before Draco finished putting away the clothes. When he finally was done, Draco turned to see Hermione talking with the clerk, seemingly having an enjoyable conversation. He felt a thin wave of jealousy wash over him and he walked toward the conversing couple.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked when he was close enough, not bothering to wait for a break in speech. She stopped talking and turned to him with a smile. "Ready?" he asked, trying to hold in his mild rage and speak kindly. Hermione looked at the clerk, then back to Draco, all the while keeping her smile.  
  
"Yes, of course," she said and turned to walk away. Draco followed close behind, shooting daggers over his should at the man, his eyes an icy steel. The man frowned a bit and turned away. Draco followed Hermione out of the store, then grabbed her free hand. He smiled at her, anger leaving his body with her touch.  
  
"My, aren't we possessive?" Hermione said with an incredulous eyebrow. Draco looked at her with mild confusion.  
  
"What?" he asked, leading her down the street to Honeyduke's.  
  
"Don't act all innocent now, you were jealous of me talking to that store clerk, weren't you?" Draco opened his mouth in shock, **Was it that obvious? Denial is always the way to go...**  
  
"I most certainly was not," he said, sounding more childish than he had anticipated.  
  
"Yeah right, don't think I didn't see the look you gave him when we left," she said, hand on her hip. **Change the subject, right now, stupid git,** he told himself.  
  
"Hey, how about when we get back, you keep trying on clothes? I can take notes, work up my fashion IQ. I'd rather study you than potions any day," he suggested and kissed her cheek.  
  
"Sure Draco, then we can paint our nails and have a pillow fight. Jeez, you're so weird; you sound just like Ginny," she said, smiling. Draco stepped in front of her, stopping her from continuing to walk.  
  
"Well, would Ginny do this?" he asked and swept her into a kiss, right in the middle of the street. Draco smiled as they broke apart and Hermione smirked.  
  
"I certainly hope not, or we've got a lot of explaining to do to Ron. Wait, 'would Ginny do this', why does that sound familiar?" she asked, contemplation a question she knew the answer to, "Ah, that's right: that's the line you used to prove that you weren't Malfoy," she reminded him and was cut off. Draco faked a wince and brought a hand to his cheek.  
  
"You're not going to prove you're not Granger again, are you? I believe you, there's no need for violence," he said, faking fear. Hermione just ignored him.  
  
"...so if you're not Ginny and you're not Malfoy, who the hell are you and what did you do with my friends?" she asked, taking his hand in hers.  
  
"I'm Drakkie-po and I brought them to Honeyduke's to be embossed in chocolate. Happy Christmas," he said and opened the door to the candy shop they were now in front of. Hermione giggled and walked in, flanked by her boyfriend.  
  
As it was nearly six, there were only a few people left in the shop. Hermione walked straight up to the elderly man behind the counter and the man smiled when he saw her.  
  
"Hermione! Back so soon? I wouldn't be expectin' to see you in need of a fill up already; the usual?"  
  
"Yes, thanks Herm. The past couple of weeks have been a little stressful, I plowed through that stuff like you wouldn't believe," she told the old man as he began to place an assortment of wizard and muggle chocolates into a box. He laughed at her statement and continued filling her order while talking. Draco remained silent and simply watched from the side with a smile.  
  
"Who's your friend? I though all the students were home, 'ceptin you and the Head Lad," he asked, still smiling. Hermione beamed.  
  
"Actually, this is the Head Boy, Herm. Draco Malfoy," she turned to Draco, "Herman Honeyduke." Draco smiled and nodded to the man.  
  
"I've seen you in here before, never alone though... always with the school trips," Herm said, almost to himself.  
  
"Well, technically we're not supposed to come alone. However, I must come for my rations," Hermione said. The man laughed another hearty laugh and closed the box he was filling, placing it on the glass counter. His eyes went from Draco to Hermione a few times as Hermione dug into her pouch for exact change.  
  
"So... you two got a thing or something?" he asked with a 'don't blame the old for stating the obvious' look. Hermione smiled, but Draco answered.  
  
"You could say that," he said, sounding proud, and placing a hand on the small of her back. Hermione placed the money in the store owner's hand, then thanked him and picked up her box. She walked to the exit with Draco in tails and the older man waved to them as they left. "You have a usual and are on a first name basis with the shop owner?" Draco asked suspiciously when they were safely outside.  
  
"Yep, I told you I needed it." Draco shook his head and walked beside her toward the gates. "So why are you not jealous of Herm, as you were that other guy?" she asked with a smirk.  
  
"Because I think it's cute," he said smoothly, "Herman and Hermione. You just click, no point in being jealous." Hermione punched him lightly and awkwardly as she was holding the box.  
  
"So you admit it," she said, smirking at the implication.  
  
"Maybe," Draco said, sounding as if it weren't important at all; keeping his eyes ahead of him. Hermione shook her head  
  
"You shouldn't have told him we were an item, Draco. He'll tell everyone," she said as they passed through the gate to Hogwarts grounds, not sounding like she cared that much.  
  
"So? They'll all know eventually anyway. I don't care what everyone knows, I just... here, let me take that box," he cut himself off when he noticed how awkward she was holding it with her other bags in hand. Hermione seemed to hesitate a moment before giving it to him. "Oh, come on Hermione; I'm not going to eat it," he said with a smile and she finally handed it over.  
  
"If you were Ron you would," she said as she adjusted her bags more comfortably. Draco smirked and after a pause Hermione smirked back. "Don't try proving you're not; Ron WOULD probably do that if I let him, he has before. Well, actually, that's an exaggeration. No one has ever kissed me the way you kiss me."  
  
"Nor ever will if I have anything to do with it," he said, holding the box against one hip and letting the other arm slid around her. She smiled for a moment, then looked as if she were in deep thought.  
  
"Call me stupid, but what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, sounding curious and not angry. Draco smiled.  
  
"That I'll kick the ass of anyone who comes near you and I'd never call you stupid. Insane, yes, but no; you're not stupid," he said and placed a kiss behind her ear.  
  
"Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically and Draco laughed. He stole another kiss, this time from the corner of her mouth.  
  
  
  
A/N AWWW.... someone asked for more fluffy scenes, so here you go. What's more romantic than trying on clothes? Haha, j/k, but they did have that whole Seattle thing, that was pretty romantic, I think. No Quidditch, at least....  
  
Sorry about all the clothing details, I just can't help it.  
  
PRF:  
  
Candledot - Wow, lots of reviews...  
  
-Thanx, I like my writing style too...lol. Snape, huh? That guy always just creeped me out. He's evil in my story later; word of warning.  
  
-and hopefully, it'll get EVEN better, lol  
  
-Wow... so many wonderful adjectives!  
  
- Has there every been any such thing as a GOOD cliffy? Lol, or... an un- nasty one? Lol  
  
-It's not the best I've ever seen. I think the best one was that story where Lucius gains the mind of a 5-year-old.... that cracked me up! But evil psycho Percy just makes sense. It's one of those things where you hear it and you're like "WHAT? Actually, Everything fucking fits! That was soooo obvious!" lol  
  
Lily Rainwater- Thank you for standing up for me! I KNEW I was right! Lol. I too am glad for the day to day progression, however... it does tend to become a little tedious and restricting, not to mention makes a damn long story...  
  
Prantis - Queen of Hearts - Actually, there was no butter, but that would have been a good idea; lol!  
  
Meggiebaby81- Thanx, I appreciate that! As word of warning; Draco won't be meeting the Grangers until that summer, so it won't be until the sequel. Sorry, you don't have any idea what I'm talking about... well, I'm gonna do this story through Christmas and New Years, then deal with all the 'OMG a Gryffindor and a Slytherin?!' problems, then just skip most of the school year and start a sequel as the summer begins. So be on the lookout! Hehe.  
  
Hasapi - Yea! Lot's o' reviews!  
  
-Of course Draco is a sweetie! He's the sweetest thing on a nimbus, baby!  
  
-Yea! I'm improving! So happy! It helps when I re-read it after I type it... corrects a lot of mistakes that way.  
  
-He just can't win with this tea thing, can he? Haven't these people ever heard of the triad? Lol.  
  
-Yes, I sort-of did that on purpose. Creates conflict. More on the subject of inter-linen relations in later chapters, along with an explanation on why Draco freaked out so badly. The next chapter, I believe.  
  
-Yeah, these kids are high on life, and have way too much in common. Oh well, I guess they'll have to deal with it. And yes, I underestimate people... it's a habit. I'm not really TRYING to do anything, here... just basically trying to get them through this little post-traumatic slump they're in, here. I think their biggest problem is that they spend too much time together, which is hard to avoid. I mean, I don't want to get into that 'You're smothering me, can't I just go do something by myself for a while?' thing, but seriously; how many people spend a full twenty four hours with someone like that? With no classes, they have way too much time on their hands. Meaning; when classes start, then summer, they'll have a better relationship. The whole prospect of loneliness brings people together. And, if you miss someone, you won't take them for granted. 


	24. The Truth About Snape

Disclaimer: As I read in someone else's disclaimer: I do not own these characters; they own me. All of you who have seen me write know that this is damn well true.  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: The Truth About Snape  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, no public displays of affection, please," a familiar drawl sounded from ahead of them. Both Draco and Hermione looked up in surprise; they hadn't realized they'd had an audience. A tall, dark haired, man with long black robes strolled casually toward them.  
  
"Oh! Sorry Professor Snape, we didn't see you," Hermione said, glancing up at Draco as he removed his arm from around her. He looked a bit paler; ever since the 'sleeping potion incident' Draco had been a little nervous around Snape.  
  
"That is quite obvious, Miss Granger," Shape said, stopping in front of them. Clearly, his intentions of frightening them were futile as Draco was now a full two inches taller than the professor. "Well, may I ask exactly why I find myself speaking with two students so far from the castle?" he asked, upholding his dominance.  
  
"Yes, well... we are on our way back from Hogsmeade, Professor. Last minute Christmas shopping this afternoon," Hermione explained while Draco remained silent. Snape sneered and seemed to take note of the bags in their arms, as well as Draco's box.  
  
"Right, then it's straight back to the castle with both of you, and do try to keep your hands to yourselves," he said and walked past them.  
  
"Of course. It won't happen again, Professor," Hermione said as he stepped away.  
  
"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep, Miss Granger," Snape sneered as he walked down the path to Hogsmeade. Draco was watching him go, eyes full of jealousy and rage, shooting mental daggers at the greasy haired potions master. Hermione conveniently waited for Snape to make it out of ear-shot before she slapped Draco upside the head.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, how dare you!?" she exclaimed. Draco looked insanely confused as he rubbed the back of is head with his spare hand.  
  
"Hermione! What the hell was that for? And what did I do now?" he asked, not angry as much as hurt.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me! I can read you like a book Draco. I saw that jealous look you gave Snape! I'm flattered and all, but I forbid you to be jealous of Snape. Professor Snape, Draco. Evil potions master, Head of Slytherin house, really, really disgusting person in general...any of this ringing a bell? Why the hell would I, or anyone, do anything with him that you could be jealous about? Honestly!" she lectured, fuming.  
  
"Well, I'm Draco Malfoy, Hermione. Evil death-eater spawn, king of Slytherin house, really, really, desirable person in general and you do a whole lot with me he could be jealous over," Draco said smugly. Hermione slapped him again. "Ow! Okay, okay... you're right, I'm sorry. I'd be jealous of anyone who talked to you like that, regardless," he said, looking back over his shoulder.  
  
"Anyone except Herm, and you're not evil, just... ethically challenged," she said with a smirk.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha, and when you click, you click. There's nothing I can do about it; why be jealous?" he explained. Of course, Hermione smacked him again. "Ow! Dammit, could you not do that... or at least warn me," he pleaded and looked at his hand as if checking for blood.  
  
"Ha! Why would I do that and miss the priceless look on your face?" she asked, taking his hand in hers. Draco looked a little hurt and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! I didn't hit you that hard," she said softly. Draco didn't look at her.  
  
"No, but you still hit me. Three times," he pointed out, sounding betrayed.  
  
"Well, you deserved it, all three times," she said, trying to get him happy and defend herself at the same time.  
  
"Yes, but you could have just mentally done it, or yelled at me. Oh wait, you did that too," he said, sounding almost depressed. Hermione stopped Draco from continuing to walk and stepped in front of him.  
  
"You're right, I'm sorry. Are you mad at me?" she asked, looking hopeless.  
  
"Of course not," he said and kissed her softly. Neither really cared if Snape came back and saw them; screw Snape. Draco replaced his arm around her waist as they continued to walk.  
  
"Look Draco, if you really want to be jealous of Snape, and that guy at the muggle shop, and whoever else you can think of, go ahead. I'm adulated, but believe me when I say there's no reason to be; especially not with Snape," she told him, glad he wasn't angry.  
  
"I do believe you and I do trust you, love. It's him I don't trust. I know I'm overreacting and I'm sorry. Maybe it's just the nature of those who are 'ethically challenged,'" he said with a smirk. Hermione made to slap him but stopped midway and Draco flinched.  
  
"Gotcha," she whispered and Draco laughed. He didn't kiss her, didn't get upset, and he didn't sound depressed. He just, laughed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
An hour later they were settled back in the castle. Draco found himself in his room alone as the twilight drew near. He had left Hermione to sleep in the common room alone, but left the door to his room open so she could see him when she woke. Sitting cross-legged on the bed crouched over a book, Draco began to feel weary. He closed his eyes for what seemed like only a moment, but opened them to discover it had been over an hour.  
  
He sighed and brought his eyes to cross the barrier of the doorway. As far as he could tell, Hermione was not on any of the couches, but the fire was still blazing. He straightened, felt a sharp pain in his back from the odd position, and winced. Draco brought his legs over the side of the bed, standing and rubbing the back of his neck. He just stood there for a moment, shifting his weight from one leg to the other until the pain was eased.  
  
He shuffled out into the common room and his gaze moved to the desks, expecting to see her there, bent over some book. Instead, he viewed only an empty chair and Draco did a double take, his eyes fully open and awake. He turned back to the couches and smiled, the prickle of panic and worry disappearing.  
  
As seen from his room, Hermione was not on any of the couches, but was, in fact, lying with her back against the floor, positioned over the Persian rug. Her eyes were closed and Draco thought for a moment she was sleeping. Realization hit him with a smile as he saw the corded headband placed around her head, connected to a square box. **CD player,** he thought subconsciously an let his lips curl into a devious smirk.  
  
Draco stood unmoving for a moment, taking in the sights. His gaze was glued to the oblivious head girl and he smiled at the familiar rush of emotion as he let his eyes tread over her body. He felt himself shudder a little in anticipation and pushed the thoughts away; he shouldn't be thinking that. Draco couldn't help but notice how pretty she was; clad in simple black cotton pants and tank top, arms bent and hands rested on her stomach, tapping in time with the music. He took a deep sigh and smiled. A real, genuine, Draco Malfoy smile; so incredibly rare it was thought to not exist.  
  
Draco crept stealthily up to her, careful not to alert Hermione of his presence. He knelt next to her, leaned down, placing a hand on her other side, and looming over her. He felt himself smile again; she looked peacefully angelic like that, cut off from the world. **What say we bring you back, my love?** he thought and kissed her. Hermione jumped a little, but knew it was Draco immediately and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
When they broke away, Hermione fluttered her eyes open and smiled.  
  
"I was hoping it was you," she said, smiling. Draco gave her another quick kiss, then pulled away to look at her.  
  
"Who else would it be?" he asked, pretending to be hurt. Hermione smiled and took a deep breath while she shrugged and slid her hands to Draco's shoulders. He smiled and Hermione tried to look innocent.  
  
"Snape?" she suggested. Draco's smile fell to the floor and his eyes swam with jealousy. Hermione noticed and wasn't sure how to feel; did he think she was serious? "My god, Draco...I was just kidding! What's wrong, why are you so paranoid all of a sudden?" she asked sincerely, taking off her headphones before placing a hand on Draco's cheek. He seemed not to believe her for a moment, but then he sighed and Hermione saw the hesitant relief flood his eyes. "Draco, honestly! Snape, are you kidding? Please tell me you are; I'm beginning to doubt your sanity." Draco, who's gaze had drifted away from her, locked his eyes back to hers, something like hopeful surprise flashing in them.  
  
"You mean, you and Snape never....had a...relationship?" he asked, speaking the last word as if he were a swearing child. Hermione's mouth hung open in shock.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, trying to sound outraged, but succeeding in only shock. Draco looked intensely relieved, then a little nervous as he began to explain.  
  
"Last year, I heard...rumors," he said, once again looking away. If possible, Hermione looked more shocked.  
  
"What? You mean other people thought that too? Snape and I? I think I'm going to be sick; why the hell didn't anyone think to tell me about this?" she asked, not yelling, but obviously shocked and angry.  
  
"So it's not true?" Draco asked, looking at her again.  
  
"No! Of course not!" she said with a shudder. "Tell me everything you heard, Draco. What were people saying?" she demanded. Draco tried to smile, but found himself unable.  
  
"Hermione, I..." he began to complain but she cut him off.  
  
"Tell me, dammit!" she voiced, looking frightening.  
  
"Alright, calm down. Story was that you and him were having a very...physical relationship and were trying to keep it under wraps to save his job. This continued from the beginning to the middle of last year. Then, remember how he and McGonagall came in to Christmas Dinner together? No, probably not if you didn't know... well, anyway, they did and people started to whisper. Then you ran out crying and everyone assumed he dumped you for her. It did seem rather suspicious; I'll admit that I didn't believe it until that happened. I'm sorry," he explained, however reluctantly. She was silent for what seemed like forever and Draco didn't dare look at her; Hermione had a habit of overreacting.  
  
Then, suddenly, the silence was broken and Hermione burst out laughing. Draco looked at her with wide eyes. She was laughing uncontrollably, clutching her stomach and rolling under him, onto her side. Draco just looked at her, confused and a little scared. Hermione brought her knees up and her head down, squinting her eyes against the tears. Draco just watched her, waiting out her giggle fit.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked when she didn't stop. Hermione heard him and tried to calm herself.  
  
"Ow," she gasped at the stitch in her side. She took a few deep breaths and regained her composure. Hermione paused for a moment before moving again to her back, looking up at a confused Draco. Wiping tears from her face, she tried to explain. "I'm sorry, but that was just about the funniest thing I've ever heard, I mean, me and Snape? A PHYSICAL relationship? And then him dumping me for MCGONAGALL? That's utterly preposterous; how could anyone believe that?" she pointed out, looking at Draco, who seemed in deep thought. Then, he smiled.  
  
"You're right, what the hell were they thinking?" he asked and stole a kiss. Hermione let her hands travel back to his broad shoulders.  
  
"Yeah and what about all the points taken from Gryffindor? And the numerous detentions he gave me? He's not very good at showing how much he cares, is he?" she said, smiling. Draco shrugged and smile-smirked.  
  
"Cover up and snog sessions," he stated simply. Hermione shrieked and covered her ears while she squinted her eyes shut. Draco laughed and kissed her again.  
  
"Do you have a spoon?" she asked, not moving. Draco laughed.  
  
"Not on me, why?"  
  
"I need to gouge out my eyes so those mental images don't come back the next time I see Snape," she said and Draco laughed again. He kissed her then and Hermione got into it. She rewrapped her arms around his neck and moaned softly as Draco moved his tongue over her lip and into her mouth. Hermione leaned in, kissing back hungrily. When they broke apart, Hermione didn't stop. She kissed him again and again, once more on his mouth, then across his jaw. Draco felt her nibble on his earlobe and kissed her on the shoulder; the closest place to his lips. Hermione let her tongue slide behind Draco's earlobe and held him close to her.  
  
"Hermione?" he whispered, a little startled at her boldness. Hermione pulled back and placed a thin finger gently over his lips. Draco kissed her finger and Hermione smiled as she let it slide down. The tip of the guilty digit had no sooner left his bottom lip when Hermione replaced it with her own. She wrapped her arms around his neck a third time and bent one of her legs, bring her knee from the ground.  
  
The kiss ended and Hermione relaxed herself against the floor. Draco lifted himself onto his knees and crawled between Hermione's legs, while kissing her neck softly. Hermione closed her eyes; ready to let Draco do whatever he wanted. The boy ran a hand lightly under Hermione's shirt and she arched her back in appreciation. Draco smiled and kissed her lips once more before rising to his knees. He ran his fingers over her again and Hermione breathed a sigh of pleasure as she once again arched her back for him.  
  
Draco took the opportunity to slide Hermione's shirt up, exposing her stomach. At first, Hermione thought he would take it off, but he didn't. Draco pushed it up as far as he could without viewing her breasts, then stopped. He placed his flushed face against the cool skin of her midsection, then slid down, lying with her.  
  
Hermione placed one hand in Draco's hair, twisting it between her fingers. **I would have let him,** she realized, ** I would have let him take it off and not thought twice about it.** Hermione was almost uneasy. She knew that this was bad; she shouldn't want this, but she did. Oh, how she did. Draco would never agree, however. He loved her and Hermione knew he wanted her, but he wouldn't do that, even if she asked. He was right, of course. She didn't want to jeopardize what they had either, but Hermione didn't see how that was possible. What could possibly happen that would hurt them? If he loved her, and she knew he did, and she loved him; how could making more love harm their unbreakable relationship? The worst that could possibly happen would be her to get pregnant, and THAT she wouldn't let happen. If they were careful, why couldn't they have what they so desperately wanted?  
  
Hermione sighed and shook it off as best she could. He wouldn't do it, it was out of the question. Draco had taken to softly kissing her navel, once even sticking his tongue in it. Hermione smiled and placed her hand over his. Draco linked fingers with her and stopped kissing her, just laying there now. Hermione closed her eyes and let the hand in Draco's hair aimlessly twist it again.  
  
"Why WERE you crying, love?" he asked, seemly out of nowhere. Hermione swallowed; her throat felt dry.  
  
"What? Crying...what are you talking about?" she asked, not opening her eyes.  
  
"At the Christmas dinner last year; you ran out and everyone thought it was post break-up depression. Why were you, really?" he asked, curious.  
  
"Oh. Actually, it was post break-up depression, it was just Ron and not Snape. He broke up with me at that dinner. I agreed that we should, but it was still a break up," she told him, still keeping her eyes shut.  
  
"Oh. He did it on Christmas? That's rather inconsiderate, isn't it?" he stated more than asked. Hermione sighed.  
  
"I guess. Let's not dwell on it, that was almost a year ago, I'm over it, I don't want to talk about it, and it doesn't matter anyway," she said, letting her fingers run down his neck.  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry. What IS that?" he asked, lifting his head. Hermione felt his warmth leave her and finally open her eyes, leaning up to look at him.  
  
"What's what?" she asked, not understanding.  
  
"That; don't you hear it?" he said, brow crinkled. Hermione listened hard; she did hear something now.  
  
"It sounds like...oh!" she exclaimed in realization. Hermione reached about a foot away and drew in the square box. "My CD player," she said of the forgotten appliance which was mindlessly playing her favorite CD.  
  
"It sounded familiar; what were you listening to?" Draco asked, slowly getting off of her. Hermione pushed a button and the top popped up, a spinning disk below. Hermione stopped it with her thumb and held it out to show him.  
  
"You have this CD, that's why it sounded familiar," she said, sitting up. Draco smiled.  
  
"It's my favorite; how did you know I had it? Have you been going through my stuff when I'm not looking?" he asked playfully, smirking at his accusation.  
  
"Mine too, and yes, but that's not how I know. You were playing it that day... when we avoided each other," she said, closing the player carefully and wrapping the headset around it.  
  
"Oh," Draco said, remembering. Hermione smiled and stole a quick kiss before standing.  
  
"I'm going to bed," she announced as he looked up at her. Draco was surprised.  
  
"But it's only nine o'clock," he said, almost ready to ask if she was feeling alright. Hermione shrugged.  
  
"I didn't say I was going to sleep," she pointed out and turned away. To Draco's horror, Hermione went directly into her room and shut the door behind her. His eyes grew wide; **Does that mean she's sleeping in there? Do I sleep there too, or not? Is there some hidden lesson here... did I do something?** Draco wondered, getting worried.  
  
Draco's head popped up as he heard the door open again. Hermione stepped out of her room, now wearing skimpy pajamas, and walked to Draco's door, wand and book in hand. She smiled at him a little on the pass and Draco felt relieved; he needed her to sleep with him. Hermione exited his room in even less time than it had taken to use hers. She smiled again at him and walked to the bathroom.  
  
Draco shook his head and stood, walking up to the door and standing there, waiting for her to come out. He didn't know why, exactly, he just worked on impulse. Hermione opened the door about ten minutes later and jumped when she saw someone standing there.  
  
"Draco! You scared the death out of me, jeez," she said, placing a hand on her chest. Draco smiled a little.  
  
"Sorry," he said and Hermione smiled too. She kissed him again, just a quick smooch.  
  
"And anyway; you're supposed to sit outside my door and listen to me breathing, not brushing my teeth. That's just weird," she said, Lifehouse on the brain.  
  
"If that's what I was doing, that would make this heaven's door. I sincerely hope heaven is not a bathroom," he replied cunningly and Hermione laughed. She kissed him once more, then slipped past him and walked to their room. Draco watched her go and decided that he might as well follow suit; he could read either in bed or the common room, and Hermione wasn't in the common room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Despite his plans, Draco didn't get to bed for over an hour. Something told him he needed to take notes, so he did. **If I don't do it now, I'll end up doing it later when there's something more important to do...** he rationalized and got to work.  
  
When he finally finished, Draco was having trouble focusing his eyes, **Looking at all of those clothes must have temporarily blinded me,** he thought with a smile as he closed his book. Draco stood and moved directly to his room.  
  
Upon entering, Draco saw Hermione, on her side of the bed, facing the window and reading. Draco wasn't sure if she didn't hear him enter, or simply was asleep. He crept over, just in case, and crawled into bed beside her. Hermione, who was not sleeping, rolled on her stomach to greet him.  
  
"Hey," she said quietly, smiling. Draco smiled too, then kissed her mouth quickly.  
  
"Hey," he said back, then paused. "I thought you were asleep," he tried, explaining his sneaking up on her. Hermione just kept her smile.  
  
"I wouldn't have been able to sleep even if I tried without you here," she told him, closing her book and placing it on the floor.  
  
"I'm sorry love; I would have come in sooner, but..." Draco began, but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"It doesn't matter; you're here now, she whispered and kissed him. Unlike the last few kisses they had shared, this one was long and deep. When they broke apart, Hermione flipped her hips and laid on her back. She smiled suggestively and Draco came back for more, kissing her again. He crawled on top of her, never breaking the new kiss. Hermione was in no way disappointed, but she still wanted more. She forced herself to push the possibility away, knowing he wouldn't.  
  
She waited, hoping his hands would slip and get carried away, wanting to do something to tell him how much she wanted it. Draco didn't do much more than kiss her, however, and his hands remained relatively on her hips. **That's it, I have to do something,** she thought and moved her hands to his. Hermione gently guided them up, more and more, until they covered her breasts. For a moment, she thought he agreed, but then Draco broke off their kiss and pulled his hands away as if she were fire.  
  
"Please," she whispered, "Please Draco; I need this," she said and he looked away from her.  
  
"No, Hermione. You don't know what you're asking, please don't make me refuse you," he pleaded, knowing it wouldn't be that easy.  
  
"Then accept me! Why can't we do this? It hurts me more to be with you and know you won't touch me than it would to have this... don't you want me?" she asked, needing him not to say no.  
  
"Hermione, I want you so much more than I should, that's why this is so hard. I can't let what happened last time happen to you; I can't lose you like I lost her," he said, almost breaking down. Hermione was surprised, not sure what he was talking about.  
  
"Draco, please tell me. What happened?" she asked, knowing he would. Draco climbed off of her, lying on his back, facing the ceiling. He took a deep breath and Hermione placed a hand on his chest.  
  
"Her name was Selene. We were so very much too young, only about ten. It was before school began, before I even got my letter, I think. I don't really know what happened; she said she loved me... and I thought I loved her. She was the only thing that ever mattered to me before you, but I didn't love her. We did what we shouldn't have, too young to really even know what it was.  
  
"When it was over, Selene cried. She just; cried, for hours, and I just sat there, knowing I had done that to her. She left my house that day and I never saw her again. Eventually she moved, I don't know where, she never told me. That's probably why we did it, actually; she was leaving me. I stole her innocence and tossed her away like nothing.  
  
"She was too young for that, we both were, but I hurt her. I hurt her in a way no one had ever hurt her before, then she was gone. I can't let myself hurt you like that, I know you want this, but Selene wanted it too, and look what happened," he explained, the only emotion in his voice was that of deep regret. Hermione was speechless for a moment, feeling incredibly guilty for asking that of him.  
  
"I'm sorry..." she whispered, near tears and unable to say anything more.  
  
"I can't take everything away from you like I did her. I've ruined the life of someone I cared about; don't make me ruin the life of someone I love," he pleaded, sounding incredibly serious. Hermione took a deep breath.  
  
"Draco, I'm not as innocent as you think I am," she whispered as if embarrassed. Draco's eyes widened and he looked at her.  
  
"What? Who?" he asked, too amazed to be automatically jealous.  
  
"Remember Viktor Krumb? Let's just say: ever since the night of that dance, he can say my name right," she said with a crooked smile. Draco gawked at her.  
  
"But...you were only fourteen," he said, not realizing how hypocritical he sounded.  
  
"I know, and I didn't love him. Not even close; I don't know why, it just happened," she said and Draco stared at her, eyes wide. "I don't know why you're so surprised; you knew I wasn't a virgin."  
  
"No I didn't, how would I know that?" he asked, still fairly shell-shocked.  
  
"You were the one who told me about my 'physical' relationship with Snape," she said and Draco paled.  
  
"I didn't think you were fucking him; I don't think my mind could ever materialize those images," he said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"That's probably better; we wouldn't want you turned off evil potions masters forever, now would we?" she said, smirking. Draco smiled.  
  
"No, I suppose not." There was a long pause in which Hermione contemplated what to say next. She didn't want what she had asked for so much anymore, and she wasn't going to ask him again. She could wait; the forbidden fruit tastes much sweeter. She sighed and leaned toward him, face close to his.  
  
"Draco, I have nothing you could take that hasn't already been taken, and I'd never leave you. I still want this, but I understand that you don't. I can't force you to do anything you don't want to; but if you change your mind you know where to find me. I'm sorry I asked, please don't hold this against me," she said, hoping Draco believed her. He smiled and kissed her lips, however gently. Hermione took that as forgiveness and smiled before sliding down to lay her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat, so close to her.  
  
"Hey, you know what?" Draco asked, obviously changing the subject. "We never asked Dumbledore about the decorations." Hermione smiled, **How does he always do that?**  
  
"Oh, yeah, come on, let's get started right now," she said in sleepy sarcasm. Draco smiled.  
  
"Aren't we ambitious?" he whispered, knowing she wasn't serious.  
  
"Mmm..." she said, too close to sleep to pay attention. Draco placed a light kiss on her head and stroked Hermione's hair while she fell asleep.  
  
  
  
A/N Whoa....that sure was creepy, huh? Oh well... I mean seriously, did you think he was a virgin? Yeah right, a guy that hott....I don't think so, but he's not a playa, and he SO did not sleep with Pansy....this explains why, sort of, other than the fact she's a whore. You know...  
  
PRF:  
  
Starry Skies: Omg, did you just say that Lirawen is your SISTER? I apologize for being so mean then, I didn't think she'd have any immediate family on my back; lol. Thanx for liking my story, and thanks for making it seem so likeable! And once and for all; keep on rambling!  
  
Karly - thanx, and I think you SHOULD post your story, no matter how bad you THINK it may be. Don't let what people think stop you from anything, I'm just lucky that people like my story, but if they didn't I'd still post.... so you should too!  
  
Carla- Complaining is one of my strong points, lol. Thanx for reading and what not, you're one of the loyal ones... and as for your question; I write everything in advance. I have to chapter thirty one typed, and at least six more written. This is all I EVER do, lol.  
  
Lily Rainwater- Yeah, I noticed that too and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. That's not what I wrote or even a piece of something else I wrote and it didn't show up on the word doc, and it didn't go away when I re- uploaded it, so I just don't know. Wow, that was a whole lotta bad grammar, but who cares! Lol. Thanx for reading!  
  
Prantis - Queen of Hearts - Thanx. I try and make the chapters about ten pages on average... and most of them are that or more, depending on when it seems like there should be a chapter break.  
  
Ayesha97 - I see that you left your email, would you like to be on the mailing list? I've placed you on it out of ... want for people on it... but if you like I can take you back off. Thanx for reading and thanx for noticing my increase in writing ability. I try. Anyway, I noticed this lull as well, and I'm putting in some 'action' but I don't know if it's the kind of 'action' you're looking for. Not really a whole lotta angsty stuff, more like Snape the stalker and relationship problems stuff... that kind of thing...  
  
Dracoluver - Thanx, and I'll try!  
  
The Weaver Atrapos - That kid is on my top like, three! Lol... but I think I'm gonna wait for him to grow up a little more, if you know what I mean ;o) Thanx for being such a loyal reader! I thought the butter was a nice touch, myself... you wouldn't believe how long it took me to think up that ONE sentence...lol.  
  
Night Angel: Okay, thanx... lol  
  
Sakke Yuy - Ohayo Miss Sakke. Thanx and I thought the butter thing was pretty funny, lol. A burst of creativity on my part...and yes, Draco rules. There's a WHOLE bunch of magic soon, as they have to decorate the castle eventually, but then it goes back to barely anything... there's just no need for it; no classes and what not...but I'll try and work some in...  
  
Dark Vampire- Lol, I luv du fluff....lol. I'll check out your fic; and I'm sure its not as bad as you make it out to be... just give it time to grow!  
  
Ezmerelda- ALL chapters? Wow... I couldn't even do that, lol...and that stuff about the seize/cease and definitely/defiantly, I know... it's not my fault. Sometimes my fingers THINK I'm going to write this word when in reality I'm going to write a different word and then the spell checker doesn't pick it up and I miss it when I reread, so it's just wrong. I apologize, lol.  
  
Rachel- thanx and I'm working on it!  
  
Alessandra- is that your real name? That's kinda cool, I've never heard it before. Anyway; thanx for reading!  
  
Hasapi- I feel like I'm always answering YOUR reviews, lol... not that that's bad! I liked that thing too, and I don't know where it came from... it just popped out of my fingers, lol.  
  
Purplerks - It's not OVER, just paused, lol.... and thanx for, liking my fic, even if it was only one out of two times, lol. I'd flame your story, but I don't think it needs it, and we all need food, you're not the only one! Lol. Yes, he did, but don't tell anyone... especially Hermione; it's supposed to be a surprise!  
  
XODramaQueenOX - Wait, who are you again? Oh right, your that annoying kid who RIPS PAGES OUT OF HER NOTEBOOKS! ::Universal Gasp:: I'm not giving you mine; it might come back half empty! Lol. Hey, Alicyn...Ty rules... 


	25. Hypothetical Accusations

Disclaimer: I'm not JKR, but tell me am I not me? I've got words but tell me, can I mead? The Story's not mine, and everyone one knows. (Inspired by Lifehouse's The Sky is falling) Okay, so the STORY is mine, but everything else isn't, and yes... everyone already knows. No surprises here.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: Hypothetical Accusations  
  
Hermione woke again about three hours later, and not to a pleasant sight. Beneath her, Draco was moving quite a bit; jolting back and forth. Hermione lifted her head from his chest and looked more closely at him; Draco was pale and drenched in sweat, a look of pure horror on his face. For a moment, Hermione wasn't sure what to do, then it hit her; he was having a nightmare. She briefly wondered if whatever he was seeing scared him as much as waking up to that had scared her.  
  
"Draco," she whispered, not sure why considering she was trying to wake him up. "Draco, wake up," she tried, shaking him gently. The terrified blonde boy did not wake, merely continued to shake in fear. Now Hermione was getting a little scared as well. "Draco!" she nearly yelled, fear apparent in her voice. Draco stopped jerking and sat up with a gasp, eyes wide.  
  
Hermione couldn't speak; she sat silently and watched as Draco breathed heavily. Suddenly, he stopped and looked up, holding his breath. He spun his head in her direction and only breathed again when he saw Hermione sitting there, scared and pale, but there. He was instantly relieved.  
  
"Draco, are you alright? You were dreaming, it's okay," Hermione assured him, placing her hand in his for comfort. Draco looked at her, as if amazed that she was there. He brought a hand to her jaw, holding it delicately and drawing her near. Hermione closed her eyes and let him kiss her; not that she would have any reason to object. He broke away gently and brought Hermione's head into his chest.  
  
"What is real, just a dream?" he said softly, quoting their favorite band. Hermione smiled at his unpredictability; it always seemed to make her smile.  
  
"I'm real, you're a dream," Hermione told him, still smiling. Draco hugged her close for a moment, then let go and pushed her a bit away.  
  
"Are you alright, did I hurt you?" he asked, looking worriedly at her. Hermione smiled at his unneeded concern.  
  
"Of course not; you were asleep, not under Imperious," she said with a smile-like smirk. Draco nodded, relieved, but did not smile. Hermione focused more closely on him and her smile dropped. "Draco, why are you still shaking...are you alright?" she asked, scared for him. Draco nodded again, but still did not smile. Hermione was unconvinced and kissed him again in an attempt at comforting him. When she pulled away, Hermione was glad to see Draco smile a little.  
  
"I'm okay as long as you're okay. Lay back down, I'll be right back," he said and made to get out of bed.  
  
"You're leaving?" Hermione asked, sounding almost hurt and reaching for him. Draco kissed her and smiled.  
  
"No, not like last time," he said and moved farther away.  
  
"I can't..." Hermione started, but was cut off.  
  
"I know; I can't sleep without you either. I'll be right back; I promise." Draco stood and walked to the door, looking back before leaving and giving Hermione a reassuring smile. She pricked up a corner of her mouth a little, obviously not wanting him to leave. Draco slipped thought the door and, just like that, he was gone. Hermione watched him go, desperately wanting him not to. She stared after him, eyes on the door, wishing he would come back. He didn't, or at least not right away. Hermione flopped back on the bed, turning her head to look out the window. Silently, she decided she wouldn't go after him. He said he would be back; Draco promised. She'd just have to trust him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco slipped out of his room and hustled to the bathroom. He looked at himself; messy hair, bags under bloodshot eyes, face pale with worry; a whiter shade of pale. Another dip in cold water and Draco had nothing else he could think of to do. There was a lump of emotion in his throat that made him want to scream. Oh, how good it would feel to just let all of the adrenaline out in a scream. This urge was different than the last he had had; snogging wouldn't be much of a help. He took a deep breath and exited the bathroom, not ready to go back to bed. Then, Draco thought of something and hurried to the door of his room. He cracked it noiselessly, unable to see into the room.  
  
"Hermione? Are you awake?" he called softly into the darkness.  
  
"No," a face-less voice called back. Draco smiled.  
  
"Well, if Hermione wakes up, could you tell her I have to go do something, but I won't be gone long?" he asked the voice, whom he knew was Hermione, and heard a rustling as she got out of bed and approached him.  
  
"What? Where are you going?" she asked, disappointed, and Draco smiled again.  
  
"I'll tell you when I get back. Just trust me," he said and Hermione's face came into view, lit by the dim firelight. She sighed and nodded.  
  
"How long will you be gone, exactly?" she asked, needing reassurance. Draco shrugged.  
  
"Couple days," he said casually. Hermione's mouth dropped, too tired to notice he wasn't serious. "I'm kidding, love. Fifteen minutes at most, I promise," he said and kissed her. Hermione bit her lip and nodded. She turned away and made her way back to bed. Draco smiled and began to close the door, then paused and spoke through the crack. "I love you," he told her and closed the door before she could say anything.  
  
Draco took a deep breath; the lump had grown bigger and he was more anxious. The companionless boy strolled across the common room and exited the portrait. Then, he closed his eyes as his feet once again touched the stone floor of the hallway. The quiet was almost peaceful, but ultimately eerie. Draco opened his eyes and with out another thought, took off running. He ran around the entire floor, not allowing himself to stop. Once again, the portraits objected to his brief presence, but he didn't care. Draco just ran, letting his emotion out through his pumping legs.  
  
As their floor was ultimately just a square with a layer of staircases in the middle, Draco soon found himself back in front of the portrait. He stopped, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. When he could speak again, Draco looked up to the raven-haired man who occupied his portrait.  
  
"Hello. Feeling better?" the man asked, a wide smile on his face. Draco stood and smiled back.  
  
"Quite, thanks," he answered, then noticed something different about the scene in front of him. "Hey, where's the little girl?" he asked, curious. The man grinned proudly.  
  
"Narcissa. She's having a sleepover with some girl on the third floor. Password?" he asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"Popcorn. My mother's name is Narcissa," Draco informed him. The man smiled and nodded.  
  
"I know," he said before opening the door for him. Draco shrugged and walked through and quickly back to the bathroom. Another splash of cold water, as well as a fairly long drink, and he felt exhausted and ready to join his Gryffindor in bed. Hoping she wouldn't be too angry at him for leaving, Draco walked back to his room, slipping in quietly.  
  
"Fancy meeting you here," Hermione's voice greeted him. Draco smiled and walked over to the bed. The moonlight poured through the window; showering her with a cold blue light. Draco crawled in beside Hermione, who was sitting against the headboard, knees drawn in and arms crossed. The boy kissed her cheek, noticing the gum she chomped on.  
  
"Sorry love; I had to," he told her, not sure what gum meant.  
  
"Where did you go?" she asked, evidently not angry, and Draco smiled, glad for it.  
  
"Running. I ran around our floor and came back, that's all," he said and ran his fingers lightly over her shoulder.  
  
"Okay, now you're going to tell me why you felt the need to get up at two in the morning and run around the school for seemly no reason," she demanded. Draco laughed and shrugged.  
  
"I needed to vent. It's more extreme than writing a really nasty letter; not as drastic as killing someone," he explained and she nodded. Hermione kissed him again and moved to slide down.  
  
"Go with what works," she said and Draco smiled. Hermione looked up at him and sighed. "I can relate to that and I'm not angry. You did, after all, tell me you were going, and I appreciate that, but you still left me without any indication of your intentions. You worry me sometimes, Draco."  
  
"I'm sorry; I'll be more specific next time," he said and kissed her before sliding down beside her.  
  
"Thank you," she said and extracted the small ball of gum from her mouth. It disappeared with a few golden sparks in her fingertips and Draco smiled. Then it broke and he looked curious.  
  
"Hey, what's with the gum?" he asked and Hermione merely shrugged.  
  
"I was... anxious; if available, I always chew gum when I'm anxious... or just pissed off. It makes me feel better." Draco nodded and placed his arm around her, holding her as he had that first night. Hermione looked at him over her shoulder and Draco kissed her again. Hermione smiled and snuggled into him, glad he was back. "I love you too," she said and closed her eyes.  
  
"I know," he whispered and did the same, exhausted from sudden exertion.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco woke the next morning to a strange clicking sound. It didn't wake him up, but was the first thing he heard upon regaining consciousness. He opened his eyes to find himself on his stomach with Hermione on her back next to him; his hand resting near her navel and her hands covering his. Hermione was looking at Draco and smiling, the clicking sound stopping as she noticed he was awake.  
  
"Good morning, sunshine," she said and Draco smiled. He took a deep breath and propped his head on his unoccupied hand. Hermione began chewing again, evidently gum, and Draco placed her jaw as the culprit of the clicking sound. **Uh oh; gum is not good...**  
  
"Okay, what's wrong?" he asked, absent-mindedly stroking her with his thumb. Hermione smiled but looked confused.  
  
"What? Nothing, why?" she said, momentarily stopping her chewing. Draco didn't look convinced and Hermione stopped smiling and sighed. "I was thinking about last night, or this morning rather. What did you dream that made you so angry, anyway?" she asked, concerned and curious.  
  
"I wasn't angry, just... freaked out, I guess. It doesn't matter, anyway," he said, leaning over for a quick kiss. Hermione kissed back, but didn't look convinced. She smiled, however.  
  
"Tell me; I won't laugh, I promise," she asked and saw Draco's face drop a little.  
  
"I would hope not. Hermione, it wasn't just a dream, it was THE dream; the premonition. I knew that would happen, it always does. Don't get upset; it doesn't mean anything, it's just an added feature to torture me," he said, smiling again.  
  
"Oh my god; no wonder you were upset. That would have scared me too; I'm sorry," she said and kissed him, longer this time. Draco smiled.  
  
"How long have you been up, anyway?" What time is it?" he asked, still smiling sleepily. Hermione looked at the clock over his shoulder, lifting her head slightly.  
  
"Ten; I've only been up for half an hour. I slept late; waking up at two in the morning and being scared out of your mind takes a little out of a person," she said, smiling. Draco smiled and a lock of hair fell casually over his face.  
  
"Sorry," he said, smiling as well. "So you just sat here for a half an hour chewing gum?" he asked with a lifted eyebrow.  
  
"Yep, but you kept me entertained," she said with a smile. Draco smirked and slid his hand a little.  
  
"Okay, so you sat there for half an hour chewing gum and watching me sleep. Should that creep me out, because it does," he told her and Hermione laughed. She rubbed his hand with hers, a bit subconsciously.  
  
"I couldn't help it; you're extremely attractive when you're asleep. However, not a very good conversationalist." Draco smirked and adjusted himself so that he was looming over her. Hermione smiled and ran a hand gently up his arm.  
  
"Are you implying that I'm not attractive when I'm awake?" he asked, faking anger. Hermione giggled and shifted a little beneath him.  
  
"I never said THAT.... but could you maybe go back to sleep? Just for a few minutes?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. Draco once again gave her the look that said he was planning an attack. "Come and get me," she challenged with a giggle. Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise, but then he smirked and leaned closer. Hermione brought her arms to wrap around his neck as Draco moved closer.  
  
He kissed her very softly, gently caressing her lips with his. Hermione kissed back, just as gently for a moment, but then was overcome with a severe need to be hostile. She kissed him harder, forcing the kiss deeper. Draco pulled back a little, startled, but got into it quickly, giving her exactly what she wanted. Hermione moaned as he did so, loving every second of it. When it ended, they were both happy and breathless.  
  
"Okay, you don't have to go back to sleep," she said, followed by a breathless giggle. Draco kissed her again, short but firm. Hermione sighed comfortably while Draco settled himself down on her, head on her chest. Hermione twisted a lock of his hair for a moment, letting the silence sit. Then, she began to sing. "How can I stand here with you, and not be moved by you? Would you tell me, how could it be any better than this?" Draco smiled, he knew that song; it always made him think of her.  
  
"I don't know; I honestly don't know," he whispered, running his fingers gently over her arm.  
  
"Hmm..." she said, treading her fingertips lightly down his neck. There was a long pause and Draco savored the light tickle of her fingers combined with the exotic aftershock any touch from her would bring. "I do," she said after a moment, rather unexpectedly. Draco lifted his head to look at her, eyebrow raised in suspicion. Hermione smiled, "Breakfast," she explained and giggled as Draco rolled his eyes. He moved up enough to kiss her, did so, then relaxed; replacing his head on her chest.  
  
Hermione looked to the ceiling, feeling contented and warm. She let her hand aimlessly voyage through Draco's hair, liking the way it flowed through her fingertips; like liquid silver. Draco had possession of her other hand, letting his fingers track across her palm while it lay motionless, up turned on the bed. Hermione smiled spontaneously, formulating something to say.  
  
"Draco, do you think we'll be together forever?" she asked thoughtfully. Draco was surprisingly unsurprised at the question and simply answered as truthfully as he could.  
  
"Unless you change your mind; yes."  
  
"You mean, if I said I wanted out, you'd just let me leave?" she asked, sounding almost hurt. Draco moved to look at her again, hair falling into his eyes.  
  
"Hermione, if you really wanted to leave me, I wouldn't stop you. I love you too much to let you be unhappy, especially at my own hand," he told her and Hermione smiled; exactly what she wanted to hear. "And besides," he continued, "I hear restraining orders are pretty limiting." She smiled.  
  
"Yes, I believe that's the general idea," she said smartly. Draco smiled and kissed the corner of her mouth. He waited a moment before speaking again.  
  
"Don't misunderstand me, leaving is the absolute last thing I want you to do. I just wanted you to know that the option is open, god forbid you wish to take advantage of it." Hermione stopped him with her finger and brought her head up to look in his eyes.  
  
"Draco," she said seriously, "I'm not leaving." He smiled; she meant it.  
  
"Thank you," he said and kissed her. When he pulled away, Hermione noticed the stupid grin on his face. "This is fun; ask me another hypothetical question," he asked and Hermione shook her head with a smile. "Please? There's nothing better to do." Hermione gave in and seemed to think for a moment before inhaling sharply and breaking into a small smirk.  
  
"Okay. Would you rather die or have me stop loving you?" she asked. Draco seemed surprised at the question, but then he smiled.  
  
"That's an easy one; I'd rather you stop loving me," he said and Hermione couldn't help but be surprised.  
  
"I admire your honesty, but isn't that just a little selfish?" she asked, not really upset. Draco smiled.  
  
"Not really. If you stop loving me, you'll still be happy; if I died and you still loved me, then you'd be upset. Either way I lose my life, but that way my life goes on without me," he explained. Hermione listened with a stupid-happy smile on her face. She felt her heart flutter with each word, feeling unbelievably good. Draco didn't say anything until she closed her eyes and placed her hand on her chest. He looked at her, concern beginning to wrinkle his brow. "What?" he asked softly. Hermione opened her eyes and looked into his.  
  
"I'll never stop loving you," she said and Draco smiled and leaned in for a kiss. It wasn't a deep kiss, merely one to show love.  
  
"It feels unbelievably good to hear you say that," he whispered, face less than an inch from hers. Draco pulled away before he spoke again. "If you asked me if I'd rather die or stop loving you, do you want to know what I'd have said?" he asked, hoping she would say yes. Hermione nodded and he smiled before moving in to whisper in her ear. "I'd rather die the most excruciating death conceivable than love you even a fraction less that I do," he said and Hermione tightened her arms around him, holding him close to her. She was almost crying; incredibly happy.  
  
Draco said nothing. He knew what he had said was true and he knew that she was happily crying, but he almost wished he hadn't said that. Even happy tears from Hermione unnerved him. He waited patiently for her to release him. Hermione did, after a long embrace, and Draco pulled away to look at her. She was smiling as a tear rolled down her face. Draco tried to smile too, but it was only small and sheepish.  
  
"I'm sorry." Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes, "Popcorn," she explained. Draco laughed and kissed her gently.  
  
"Oh right, you wanted breakfast," he said, climbing off of her. "Do you want the bathroom first?" Hermione sat up and laughed a little.  
  
"How can you just change the subject like that?" she asked, smiling. Draco shrugged.  
  
"You're the one who mentioned popcorn; what else was I supposed to say?" he asked, kneeling next to her. Hermione smiled and got out of bed, walking around to his side. Draco watched her with a smile and was happy to see her approach him before leaving.  
  
"I don't know, but I wasn't expecting that," she said when she was standing beside him. Hermione leaned down for one more kiss before leaving for the bathroom.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Both Hermione and Draco showered and dressed. Unbeknownst to Draco, Hermione chose to wear the shirt she had purchased on their shopping trip. As expected, Draco loved it.  
  
The couple exited the common room together at about a quarter to eleven. They walked hand in hand, slowly making progress toward the great hall.  
  
"What do you want to do today, love?" Draco asked, looking ahead. Hermione, who seemed overly happy, smiled and answered blissfully.  
  
"I don't know; something fun," she said, looking at him. Draco sighed unhappily.  
  
"Last time you said that we ended up shopping," he reminded her. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Hey, it was your idea to make me try on clothes for an hour while you just sat there, and believe it or not, I don't want to go shopping. Besides, it's Saturday; the stores will be packed. That gives me an idea, though, and I think you'll like it." Draco looked at her, happy and surprised; no shopping.  
  
"Oh really? And what might this idea of yours be?" he asked, smirking. Hermione's expression didn't change; she still looked happy and carefree.  
  
"Actually, it was your idea. We never did ask Dumbledore about Christmas decorations." Draco grinned widely.  
  
"Excellent. I've always wanted to run around and just enchant things. This will be much more fun than shopping. Ah, but first; breakfast," he said as they stepped up to the doors of the great hall. He opened the door with a bow and Hermione patted his head as she giggled and walked past him. Draco straightened and followed her, catching up in one step and placing a kiss behind her ear. She smiled and continued to the head table, Draco at her side.  
  
The two dined on eggs and toast, a bland and simple breakfast, not eating much. Hermione was chewing slowly on a tiny bite of toast, seemly staring off into space.  
  
"Are you alright, love?" Draco asked in concern. Hermione blinked and turned to him, briefly wondering how long he had been looking at her.  
  
"Hmm?" she asked, contemplating what would make him think something was wrong.  
  
"You've hardly eaten anything; I know you're not a heavy eater, but really." Hermione shrugged and dropped the toast she was holding, not concerned for herself.  
  
"Guess I'm not as hungry as I thought," she said, unmoved. Draco looked unchanged as well; still worried.  
  
"It's not just today; one can't live on chocolate alone, you know," he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. Hermione smiled, enjoying his touch.  
  
"Watch me," she said, not helping to ease Draco's uncertainty. There was a long pause in which Hermione went back to staring at nothing. "Draco, why were you crying?" Draco looked surprised.  
  
"What? When was I crying?" he asked, his mind shooting back to the morning of the dream. Surely she knew why he had been crying then; wasn't it painfully obvious?  
  
"That morning on the balcony, before McGonagall came in," she said, bringing back memories. Draco smiled, remembering what had happened between the tears and McGonagall's visit.  
  
"Why do you even remember that?" he asked and she looked at him like he had gone mad.  
  
"Draco! That was our first kiss; I'll remember everything about that forever. Now, answer me," she asked gently. Draco smiled for her, then decided he might as well tell her.  
  
"I was thinking about how it would be if I just kissed you; how it would be if we were together...mostly just about you. Then I got to asking myself why I didn't do something about how I felt; reasons why I shouldn't tell you. My first thought was Harry and Ron. I knew that was the number one reason; not because they would kill me if I touched you, although that didn't help, but because I assumed you loved one of them. I convinced myself that we could never be; that you would never have me. That's why I cried, because I was sure you had no place for me." Hermione just watched him as he spoke, amazed at how planned it had sounded. He wasn't smiling and Hermione was nervous. **He knows he was wrong, right?**  
  
"Oh. Needless to say, that was entirely untrue," she said, reassuring him, and Draco smiled at her.  
  
"I know, and I can't say I'm unhappy about that," he said and kissed her again behind the ear, continuing down her neck and back up again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Neither Gryffindor nor Slytherin heard the hinges of the door creak as someone entered the great hall and, as both held their eyes closed, neither noticed the familiar yet unwelcome presence approach the head table.  
  
"I told you, you wouldn't keep your promise, Miss Granger," a slimy voice sounded. Both Draco and Hermione knew immediately who it was and jumped a bit away from each other.  
  
"Professor! I... uh, we-" she began, but the annoyed potions professor interrupted her.  
  
"Yes, yes, you didn't see me, it wasn't what it looked like, it'll never happen again." Snape said and rolled his eyes.  
  
Hermione looked away in embarrassment, but Draco kept his eyes on Snape, shooting mental ice picks directly between his eyes. It was all he could do to keep himself seated and calm enough to not lash out. Snape then turned to Draco, eyes narrowed.  
  
"Something wrong, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked with a smirk. Draco gripped the arms of his chair hard enough to bleach his knuckles. Hermione placed a hand on his, keeping him from doing anything irrational. Draco unclenched his gritted teeth and forced himself to speak as calmly as his intense and concentrated anger would allow.  
  
"No, Professor. May we be excused, or is there something you wish of us?" he asked, almost passing for calm.  
  
"I wish of you nothing but to spare me the viewing displeasure of your inappropriate contact. The headmaster, however, wants the both of you in his office promptly at one o'clock," he drawled, unenthusiastic.  
  
"Yes, Professor," Hermione chimed before Draco could speak. Snape sneered at them and exited through a door Draco knew led to the dungeons. Hermione watched him go, keeping her eyes on the slowly closing door until it made an audible click. Then, she turned quickly to her beet red boyfriend.  
  
"Are you okay? Calm down," she said, reaching a hand to touch his face. Draco's teeth were clenched again and he was breathing hard; hands still in a death grip on the chair.  
  
"Yeah, I just really hate that guy. How dare he belittle you like that? Who does he think he is?" he almost yelled. Hermione sighed.  
  
"He's Snape; he thinks he's second only to Voldemort and he belittles everyone like that. Well , with the exception of the Slytherins. It's alright, really. He's said hundreds of things like that to me before, I'm not about to get angry now," she said, replacing her hand over his.  
  
"Yeah, well...I am," he sneered, eyes still on the door.  
  
"Draco, please don't let him get to you; he's harmless, other than emotionally. Don't give him the satisfaction of getting angry," she said, attempting to calm him down. It wasn't really working and she thought quickly for something to do, then sighed. "Let's go outside; the air will do you good, not to mention adding a few more walls between you and Snape," she suggested, speaking softly. She paused and Draco seemed to think about her request, weighing whether to do so or track down Snape. "You can run if you want to," she said and Draco calmed down enough to smile weakly.  
  
"Alright," he said, eyes still full of hatred, directed at the door. Hermione moved so that she broke his gaze, placing himself between him and the door and forcing him to focus on her. She smiled as the hatred drained and was replaced with a much softer shade of concern and love. Draco smiled a genuine smile and kissed her again. Once again, all care of Snape disappeared, replaced by concentration of the kiss.  
  
They left the great hall, intent on going outside. Draco already felt better; he couldn't even be mad at other people when he was alone with Hermione. Hermione, who was walking slightly ahead of Draco, veered toward the staircase. Draco stopped walking, staring after her.  
  
"Where are you going, love? I thought you wanted to go outside," he asked as she turned to him. Hermione placed her hand on her hip and smirked at him.  
  
"Well, I'll be damned if I'm going outside in this; it's like twenty out there," she said smartly. Draco smiled and shook his head before extracting his wand from his pocket. He held it up and looked to Hermione with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Have you forgotten what this is, my dear?" he said and flicked it. Hermione had enough time to slap herself for being so impractical before Draco was pelted with their jackets and scarves.  
  
"I thought you never did things the easy way?" she asked as she took her coat from him.  
  
"I said I never learned things the easy way. I'm still a Malfoy, would you expect a Malfoy to just do something if they knew there was an easier way?" he asked as he put on his coat. Hermione smiled, but only when she was sure that Draco was. Evidently, he had forgotten all about their encounter with Snape, and she was glad.  
  
Hermione kissed him on the cheek before draping her scarf around her neck and grabbing his hand. Draco smiled and led her to the main doors. He opened it for her, as he had the door to the great hall, and Hermione passed him, stepping into the cold December air. She only took a step before stopping to wait for the blonde boy behind her as he closed the door. Draco stepped up to her and smiled.  
  
"We're not going ice skating," he said, although she hadn't asked. Hermione looked at him with a fake pout, sliding a hand around her pocketed wand, a silent idea forming in her head.  
  
"Why not? Didn't you have fun last time?" she asked, giving him the alleged 'puppy dog face.' Draco tried to look at her and couldn't help but laugh. He looked away with a smile before speaking again.  
  
"Until I fell down. We're not going," he said, trying to sound stern, but not managing through his smile. Hermione pretended to be upset.  
  
"Fine... then I'm going to throw snow at you," she said to Draco, who was attempting to put on gloves. He laughed at her childishness, still not looking at her.  
  
"I'd like to see you try-" he managed before Hermione whipped out her wand, gave it a flick, and a large drift of snow fell from above them; landing directly on Draco's head. "Gah!" he said, spitting out snow. Hermione took one look at her boyfriend, black cloak covered in white powder, a large mound accumulated on his head, and burst out laughing. Draco rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. **She's laughing; this could take hours. Oh, who am I kidding? I know I love it,** he thought as he waited out her hysterics. "That was extremely immature and uncalled for, Hermione," he said, defending himself.  
  
"And utterly hilarious," she said, laughter dwindling. "I'm sorry," she said and kissed his cheek. Draco smiled.  
  
"No you're not," he said. Hermione smiled and shrugged.  
  
"No, you're right, I'm not," she agreed and, as anticipated, Draco gave her the 'attack look' again. Hermione shrieked in laughter and tried to back away, but she was too close to Draco and he grabbed her waist. He took her with both hands and hoisted her over his shoulder. Ignoring her shrieks and laughter, Draco began walking down the stone steps.  
  
"Draco Malfoy! If you slip and drop me, I'll do more than dump snow on you!" she warned. Draco smirked and tossed her a little, as if to drop her, but held her tightly. Hermione shrieked.  
  
"Was that a threat?" he asked, faking outrage.  
  
"Yes; if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" she said, laughing. Draco pretended to drop her again and Hermione shrieked. "Don't DO that!" she commanded, and Draco laughed.  
  
"Come on, love. Don't you trust me?" he asked, mock pouting. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yes, it's your damn tread-less shoes I don't trust. Eep!" she peeped as he tossed her again. Draco, who had successfully made it down the steps, now began to trudge through the snow. Hermione held on for dear life, the ride a little rockier in the knee-high precipitation. "Where are we going?" she asked, smiling and giggly, but not laughing as hard anymore.  
  
"Here," he said and tossed her to the ground, gently so as not to hurt her. Hermione laughed as she hit the soft ground, snow billowing around her. "Oh damn," Draco said sarcastically, dropping to his knees. "I dropped you; now I'm in trouble." Hermione laughed and sat up. "Do with me what you must; I deserve whatever I get," he said, holding out his hands in surrender, as if to be cuffed. Hermione smirked and grabbed the front of his cloak.  
  
"Damn right you do," she said and kissed him. Draco smirked into her lips as he kissed back, tasting her rightfully for the first time since he had awoken. Hermione let the kiss last a while, but then pushed him away a little. "Draco. Stop," she said between kisses.  
  
"What? Why?" he asked, also between lip connections. Hermione kissed him once more, a little long than the word-ly incremented ones, then stopped him.  
  
"Snape," she said, nodding over his shoulder. Draco's mouth dropped a little and he turned to look behind him. Sure enough, the greasy potions master was there, just finishing his descent of the steps. The professor stopped at the bottom and began to slowly scan the area with his eyes.  
  
"Lay back," he said, not looking at her.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, watching as Snape's eyes made their way toward them.  
  
"Just do it," he said, flipping himself over to lay beside her. Hermione did as he asked, not knowing why. Draco waited a moment, then lifted his head to look at the potions master. The unwanted man had evidently spotted them and was now heading toward their snowy selection of lounging territory. Draco had dragged Hermione pretty far away and well out of earshot, so Snape had a long journey to make. "Damn, he saw us."  
  
"What the fuck, is he like stalking us or something?" she asked in outrage.  
  
"Hermione," Draco said in surprise.  
  
"Well, this is starting to piss me off. This is the third time in two days that he's caught us together; what does he do, set up snog sensing charms? How the hell does he sleep at night?" she said and Draco laughed.  
  
"Maybe he still has feelings for you," he suggested and she punched him lightly. Draco laughed, "He's coming; just play along, I've got an idea," he said and shifted a little.  
  
"Alright," Hermione agreed and they waited a few more seconds in silence. Then, Snape was close enough to speak. He took a breath, as if to do so, then didn't say anything, merely walked to the couple. Thinking they hadn't noticed him, Snape waited until he was less than six feet away before speaking.  
  
"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, what are you doing?" he asked, sounding as if he really didn't care.  
  
"Hello again, Professor. What brings you out here?" Draco asked with a smile. Snape sneered; he actually sneered at a Slytherin.  
  
"I believe I asked you a question, Mr. Malfoy," he drawled, sounding annoyed. Draco smiled.  
  
"Why Professor, as you can clearly see, we are lying in the snow. Isn't it obvious?" he said smartly.  
  
"I forbid you to speak to me in that tone, Mr. Malfoy. Now, explain yourselves," Snape demanded, but Draco held his smile.  
  
"There's nothing to explain, Professor. We are literally just lying in the snow," he said and turned his head to Hermione who nodded in agreement.  
  
"It's fun; very relaxing," she added and Snape turned to the thin girl on the ground below him with an equally unpleasant sneer.  
  
"If it weren't a risk to my career, I might well have borrowed one of Mr. Malfoy's pet names for you, Miss Granger," he said coldly, obviously trying to remind Hermione of what Draco had previously done to her as well as insult her. Normally, Draco would have gotten angry enough to lunge at Snape, but he was having too much fun belittling him.  
  
"Is that a threat, Professor? I believe threatening a student is also a risk to your career, is it not?" Draco asked slyly. Hermione smiled and jumped in again.  
  
"And besides; the only thing Draco ever calls me, other than Hermione, is love and I don't see-" she began, then cut herself off and turned to the professor, looking suspicious. "Is there something you want to tell me, Professor?" she asked. Snape turned white, despite the cold, and started at them, mouth agape. Both Draco and Hermione were looking at him as if they knew he had a problem and were trying to be understanding. Snape took a step back in shock, eyes darting between the head boy and girl.  
  
"Uh," he said, then seemed to regain himself a little. "You're due in the Headmaster's office in ten minutes; I suggest you make your way back to the castle shortly," he said, taking another step back and turning.  
  
"Oh, thank you Professor," Draco said as the slimy man moved farther away.  
  
"Professor Snape!" Hermione called, sitting up. Even Draco looked surprised. Snape paused and turned to her. "Are you SURE there wasn't something more you wanted to say... to me?" she asked as if coaxing him to tell her his problems. Snape opened his mouth as if to speak, then turned and fled; comically hasty for the evil potions master they knew as Professor Snape.  
  
When he was far enough away, Hermione turned back to her boyfriend, only to be met with a face full of snow. She opened her mouth in surprise and mock- outrage. Draco looked at her for a moment, head propped on one elbow, then started to laugh. Hermione started laughing as well, laying back. Draco calmed down before she did and started kissing her. Hermione kissed back, one small kiss after another, calming down but equally happy. She stopped him before either of them wanted to, sighing and explaining.  
  
"He's right; we should go," she pointed out. Draco knew they should, but he desperately didn't want to. He placed his forehead on her chest and groaned. Hermione smiled and gently ran her fingers down his neck. Draco waited a moment, then kissed her once more before getting up with a sigh. He stood, brushed himself off a bit, then held out a hand to his girlfriend. Hermione took it and stood beside him.  
  
They started their way back to the castle, arms around each other's waist, Hermione's head on Draco's shoulder. Hermione was smiling, but Draco wasn't. She looked up at him, intent on placing a kiss on his cheek, but stopped when she saw his face. Draco, who saw her head rise, looked to her for a second, then did a double take when he saw the way she was looking at him. He knew immediately he had given himself away again.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking... this make the fifth time we've been stopped by a teacher. There was McGonagall the first time, then Snape the other day, Snape this morning, Snape just now, and now Dumbledore. Plus, we've been interrupted numerous times by owls, most of them Harry's, and there was the one time Harry did it himself... I think there's a conspiracy," he said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"You forgot Fristy," she reminded him.  
  
"Right, and Fristy."  
  
"You think there's a conspiracy now, just wait until there's four hundred angry Slytherins and Gryffindors on our backs. We'll never get any time alone," she said, almost sadly. Draco kissed her cheek and smiled.  
  
"Don't worry, love; that's what our room is for. And besides, who said we had to be alone?" he said, smirking. Hermione laughed and pushed him playfully.  
  
"That's a rather creepy thought," she said and Draco smiled. Then his face dropped a little and he spoke.  
  
"No, you know what's a creepy thought? Why didn't Snape do something after you said that nickname thing? Which was brilliant by the way. I mean, he could have told us off or given us detention or something...but he just, walked away. What if he actually has feelings for you?" he asked, totally serious. Hermione looked at him, almost scared.  
  
"You're right; that IS a creepy thought. I'm sure that's not why; he was probably just nervous that we would tell Dumbledore about him threatening me. I don't even want to consider that you're right," she said, squeezing him.  
  
"You do know what he was implying, don't you? The nickname?" Draco asked, still serious. Hermione merely nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. "And you're not angry with me?" he asked, regretting bringing it up.  
  
"No, of course not. You haven't called me mudblood in like three years, why should I be mad at you?" she asked kindly. Draco flinched at the word and held her close. He tried to smile, he was happy she wasn't angry, but it was small and unconvincing. ** Don't be so sure about that,** he thought, remembering the day in Dumbledore's office. Hermione kissed his cheek, then took a step forward and opened the doors. Draco followed, head hung a little, but not enough to be suspicious. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms in front of her waist. Draco placed his head on her shoulder after kissing behind her ear.  
  
"I love you," he whispered and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I love you, too," she said and was interrupted by a small beep. She looked at her watch, which had just struck one, and sighed. "Damn, we're late," she said, but Draco didn't move. Hermione undid his hands from her waist and spun out of his arms, hand still in her possession. Draco smiled and followed her to Dumbledore's office.  
  
  
  
A/N DUN, DUN, DUN, DUN. Phew, this was a long one...  
  
In soon to be chapters= What the hell is up with Snape? Why are they even in the school in the first place? Is Hermione anorexic? Is Draco going to kill Snape? What do wizards eat when they're in a hurry? All this and more, next time on Flames of Ecstasy, lol.  
  
PRF:  
  
Nikki - Yeah, they probably do say 'I love you' too much, but hey; they're new lovers, they always say it enough to make on lookers sick... plus I usually just stick it in there to relieve tension or when I don't know what else to make them say....and I liked the shopping too, although it was kinda corny....but hey; we love corny, right? Right.  
  
Hasapi- Yeah, I know, lots of weird, probably wouldn't happen, stuff in there... but It kinda made some of the other stuff make more sense... like, a rumor about her and Snape explains why Draco suddenly hates the guy... and his brush with intimacy at such an early age explains why he didn't wanna screw her... and Hermione and Krum I just stuck in there so Draco wouldn't be the only one who made that mistake, making it easier for him to give into her and what not... from your review I couldn't really tell if you liked all this or not; it just sounded like you were shocked, lol... thanx.  
  
Sweet Sorrow- Yeah, well, I like my Draco and if you don't then that's okay, because you won't be a taking him then, will ya? Lol. Thanx for your opinion, though. I do agree in that I like Draco as a bad boy, and another of my stories in the future my make him one, but not this time. Now, he's just a scared and scarred emotional little boy who's afraid of hurting people... which, if you think about it, is understandable.  
  
*Gigglinggirly*- Thanx, and I will, of course.  
  
Tom Felton's Babe - Okay, not to ruin it, but yes, in a few chapters, they will have sex. Yet, I will NOT be descriptive. This story stays at PG13, no R for me, thank you. Trust me, you wouldn't really enjoy reading it, nor I writing it, so it doesn't make sense to do it. Thanx, though!  
  
Toms_gurl - Thanx, and Yeah! Don't we all!  
  
Gwyn - I'm sorry, but she didn't want them either. I know I know, if you wanted them you would have read a HG/SS fic, which I find disturbing that people would even consider writing that, but hey, go with what works, lol. I read your chappy. I bet that girl's in Gryffindor! Lol, you slip up kinda ruined the suspense, lol...  
  
Purplerks- Well, he probably would have if he didn't scar himself for life... and I'm sure way more than twenty.... lol.  
  
Sakke Yuy - Ohayo miss Sakke, Thank you. I thought I handled it rather well; I just didn't want them to screw just yet... but they will later, and now I've explained why they didn't act like normal hormone charged teenagers and bang each other senseless, Lol. And I'm glad I could be of help to you; I know I read a bagillion stories before I started, and I've done way better than I expected I would. Thanx once again for everything!  
  
JoeBob1379 - Yes, I appreciate your request like you wouldn't believe! I always get people who are like "DESCRIPTIVE SCREW!!!" and I'm like, ew, I really don't wanna write that.... haha... so if anyone asks, when they screw without detail, I did it for you, JoeBob! And yes, they are. Haha.  
  
Karly - Just lemme know and I'll come and review it! Post soon!  
  
FireandIceQueen - Thanx, lol. I'm glad you liked it enough to waste that much time reading! Lol. Yes, that chapter is by far my best, lol... yes, they will physically hook up. In chapter 32, actually, which is call What Darkness was Intended For. Lol. I have up to that typed, hehe... so I know... I read your story, and reviewed, I think! Good Job!  
  
Spidergurl - Okay, so that's two people who hate my story. Oh well, I'm good. I like it, and I enjoy writing it, and if you don't I'm sorry, and I thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, but it's okay. I'm leaving it be. SOMEONE must like it, lol. And realize, please, that despite the length of my story, they've been together for less than a month... meaning speeding it up doesn't make much sense; they're already way farther in a relationship than I've ever been after a month. Leave them be, let them enjoy the innocence of their love, haha.  
  
Sweet Sorrow - they come back on January Third, and I believe that it's somewhere near Dec. 12th, but I'm trying to speed it up.... lol, I know I have this big problem with skipping time.... gotta get into that.  
  
Malfoy- Thanx! Me too! Lol  
  
Kaitie - I think so too... and I only made her sleep with Krum so that Draco wasn't the only one with bad experiences... and I only made him have those to explain the tension... I mean, if something like that happened to you; if you scarred someone for life at the age of ten, I'm surprised he's even thinking about sleeping with anyone... that would turn me off sex for a damn long time... and think about it, he LOVES her... and he knows what can happen if you're not ready... he just doesn't wanna hurt her, ::sniff sniff:: it's sweet... say hi to Tom for me, and tell him I'll see him next weekend! P.S. I put you on the mailing list, but tell me if you want off... I put everyone who leaves an email on it... hehe 


	26. Unexpected Explanations

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: Unexpected Explanations  
  
If there was one thing about a meeting with Dumbledore that Draco liked, it was that he always seemed to arrive ten minutes later than planned. Hermione too was grateful for this today, as they, although late, entered Dumbledore's office less than a minute before the Headmaster did. As he entered, Hermione pulled her cloak around her, remembering the revealing state of her attire. The white haired man smiled at her and Hermione smiled back, although a bit nervously.  
  
"Good Afternoon Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said as he slid behind his desk. "I suppose you may be wondering why I've called you here. Not to worry, you are not in trouble, but I do have some explaining to do." Draco and Hermione exchanged looks of nervousness before turning back to the smiling old man. "First of all, I'd like to remind you of the test next June. I know, despite recent events, you have both put a lot of time into your studies and I am proud of both of you.  
  
"Nextly, Miss Granger," he said, turning to her. Hermione looked a little surprised, but smiled nonetheless. "I believe you asked me a question a few weeks ago, and I think now would be an appropriate time to answer it. The test, however important and a major component, is not the reason I have asked solely you two to come for this extra bit of time. It has been many years since I have seen a student with the extraordinary marks that either of you have received, as well as your maturity and people skills."  
  
Draco had to suppress a laugh. **Maturity? If only you saw us ten minutes ago, dear Headmaster.** The elder, unaware of this, continued speaking.  
  
"Due to completely coincidental, yet favorable, circumstances and the edition of a few new courses, Hogwarts has, as of next year, two job openings. On behalf of myself and the faculty, Professor McGonagall in particular, we would love for you to join our staff," he said and the two teenagers dropped their jaws in comical unison.  
  
"Us? TEACH here?" Draco stuttered, not noticing Hermione's ecstatic aura as excitement over-rode her shock. Dumbledore nodded, eyes sparkling.  
  
"I realize that this is a big decision on your parts and I do not expect an answer straight away, however the sooner you decide, the better. If you choose to accept our offer, the rest of your seventh year will be spent in training and sitting in on classes. The reason you are here now is simply because we were planning on telling you sooner and beginning your training over a month ago, but obviously things were put on hold. Now, I want you to think good and hard about this, talk with each other if you like, and report back to me with your decision. I won't keep you any longer, unless you have questions?" the headmaster said, grinning. Hermione smiled sweetly, her eyes filled with excitement, while Draco simply stared in shock.  
  
"What are the positions, exactly, Headmaster? As in, what would we be teaching?" Hermione asked, much farther into this than Draco. He seemed to snap out of his state at her question, however, and looked at Dumbledore, anticipating his answer. The man smiled in a proud and fatherly way, then proceeded to answer her.  
  
"Excellent question, Miss Granger. I apologize for not answering it sooner. For you, Miss Granger, Muggle Books and Literature," he said, then paused. Hermione looked, if possible, more excited. Her mind was obviously made up. Draco smiled lovingly at her; he knew she would love that. Then, when Dumbledore didn't speak again, Draco turned to him.  
  
"And for me?" he asked eagerly, but still professional. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to light up at the question; he obviously knew he had them both hooked.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, if you agree, you will be teaching Apparation." Once again, jaws dropped. "I realize that this seems a bit irrational, as you only received your license a few months ago, but both you and I know that you are experienced far beyond your years in that field. The ministry has required us to have an Apparation course for sixth and seventh years, much as muggles have driver's education programs. Needless to say, you were our number one candidate," he said and turned to Hermione. "As were you, Miss Granger. Madam Pince seemed to think you and only you could do the job. Now, are there any more questions? I know this is a lot to think about, what with the holidays coming up, but you can always come back if you need to."  
  
"Oh!" Hermione said, remembering something. She smiled and blushed, embarrassed at her outburst. "This seems a little silly now, but we were planning to ask you something anyway, Headmaster, I'd almost forgotten," she explained.  
  
"Well, proceed Miss Granger," he said, still smiling. Hermione looked to Draco, who was also grinning, then turned to the headmaster.  
  
"Right, well... it IS almost Christmas, and customary for the Head Boy and Girl to decorate the castle accordingly. May we do so, despite the fact that there are no students other than ourselves?" she asked politely.  
  
"Actually, I was going to ask you to do so myself, but I must have gotten caught up in this teaching business. I would be much obliged if you would decorate the castle. You may keep your work up until the students arrive if you like. Who minds a little post Christmas mistletoe? He said, then held up a finger, "Oh, just a moment..." the older man said and pushed his chair back, standing and taking a step to search through a nearby bookshelf. "Let's see...oh! Here we are!" he said and extracted a dusty green book. Then, Dumbledore reseated himself and placed the book on the desk in front of him. He smiled and pushed it toward Hermione. "Here are all the spells and charms you should need, although you probably already know most of them. If there is nothing else, you may be excused, and do have fun."  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said and took the book. She turned to Draco, as if to ask if he was ready to go, and he gave a nod. Draco stood and Hermione followed suit. They thanked the professor again and exited the room, smiling.  
  
Outside the office, Draco's smile dropped a bit. Hermione noticed and took his hand. Draco looked at her and his smile reaffixed itself.  
  
"Wow, I totally wasn't expecting that," he said and Hermione seemed ready to jump up and down.  
  
"Neither did I; isn't it wonderful?" she asked happily as they started walking.  
  
"I suppose, I just don't know. Me, a teacher? I've never even considered it," he said, looking down the hall at nothing, mind weighing the possibility.  
  
"You'd make a fine teacher, this will be fun," she assured him.  
  
"Easy for you to say; you got reading. Everyone knows how to read, my students will be totally clueless," he said in his usual, pessimistic, point of view.  
  
"My students will know how to decipher the written code of the English language, not read. There's more to reading than words on a page, Draco" she said, not angry, just opinionated. Draco smiled and kissed behind her ear.  
  
"I know love, I'm sorry," he said and Hermione smiled before going back to reassuring him.  
  
"This is a great opportunity for you, for both of us, and it's Apparation. It's not like you don't know how to do it," she pointed out.  
  
"Yes, but do I know how to teach it?" he thought out loud. Hermione smiled at him, so paranoid and nervous.  
  
"That's what training is for. Plus, if we both take the jobs, we won't have to leave the castle and the teachers. I know I'd miss them otherwise, and we'll get to live together right after school ends without my parents getting all suspicious." She paused and sighed, "I wouldn't make you if you didn't want to, but I think you should at least seriously consider it." Draco looked at her, surprised, as if she were speaking parsle-tongue.  
  
"Are you kidding? Of course I'm going to do it. If Dumbledore thinks I can, I'm convinced. That guy knows everything," he said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Good," she said, then looked at her watch. "Hey, it's not even two yet; do you want to start decorating?" she asked, excited. Draco smiled, obviously wanting to, as she knew he would.  
  
"Sounds like a plan, love," he said. Hermione smiled deviously and giggled. "What?"  
  
"Now every time you call me that, I'm going to think about Snape," she said, laughing. Draco looked horrified.  
  
"I guess I better stop that then," he concluded with a heavy swallow. Hermione stopped smiling abruptly.  
  
"No! Don't...I was just kidding, I promise," she pleaded and Draco smiled at her innocent desperation.  
  
"Okay, okay," he said and kissed her ear again, "I won't." Hermione sighed as they entered the lobby.  
  
"Good. Hmm, let's do the lobby first, then the great hall, it's a pretty big project. We can do the halls afterward, just run around and enchant things. Our common room should be last; we can do that late and not bother anyone," she said as she took survey of the room. Then, she spun to face him. "What do you think?" she asked. Draco shrugged his shoulders as he shed his coat and took out his wand.  
  
"Works for me; as long as there's snow, I'm happy," he said with a smile.  
  
"Okay; we can do snow in here if you want, we won't need it in the great hall; it already snows in there," she said, once again looking around.  
  
"No, we have to do it over the staircases; tradition," he explained. Hermione smiled.  
  
"If you say so," she said, opening the book in her hands. She skimmed it, searching for inspiration. Hermione's eyes lit up as she came across something interesting. She looked up from the book and took out her wand, flicking it, then dragging it around the air. Draco watched as he room turned to ice. Ice sickles sprouted from the ceiling and banisters, walls frosted over and glistened, stairs, doors, and benches all glazed with a thick coat of the magical blue-ish ice. Draco smiled at her handiwork and reached out to touch a nearby wall. The icy coating was surprisingly warm to the touch.  
  
"Nice," he said with a smirk and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Thanks, but I'm not done yet," she said and crouched down near the wooden floor. Hermione touched her want to the redwood below and smiled as it turned to ice before her eyes, spreading from her wand-tip like ripples in a lake. When it was finished, she stood. Taking one more look around her, Hermione sighed and flicked her wand, adding the same green garland and wreaths she had seen up every year to her ice fortress. "Okay, now I'm done," she said and Draco raised an eyebrow at her, gesturing to the boring green shrubbery. Hermione shrugged. "Would it be Christmas without that awful stuff?" she asked and Draco laughed.  
  
"I suppose not, but don't think I'm going to let you have all the fun, love," Draco said and tapped his wand on the non-slip ice floor. A shimmer of light cascaded across it and Hermione looked from the unchanged floor to her blonde co-worker.  
  
"What did you do?" she asked, honestly not seeing a difference. Draco smiled and pointed his wand at the floor.  
  
"Look closer," he said and she did, dropping to her knees. Upon closer inspection of the ice floor, which held an unusually glass like translucency, tiny fish and mermaids could be seen swimming below the surface, all wearing tiny Santa hats or reindeer antlers. She laughed at the unanticipated sight.  
  
"That's adorable," she said and stood. Draco smiled, glad she liked it. Hermione took one more looked around, satisfied. "Is it done? That was easy," she said.  
  
"I guess," he agreed, "I don't see what else we could do. The great hall will be more time consuming, what with the trees." Hermione nodded and shrugged her shoulders. She took off her coat and placed on the bench with Draco's before walking to the doors of the great hall. She smiled at him and he followed, kissing her upon arrival. "Damn mistletoe," he said, looking up. Hermione faked a pout and pushed him playfully. Draco smirked, "Did I say that out loud?" Hermione rolled her eyes and entered the empty dining hall, Draco in tails.  
  
"Would you like to do the honors?" she asked, holding out the book to him. Draco smiled and waved it away.  
  
"Thanks," he said and took a quick view of the room. "How about we go a little more traditional?" he suggested and gave his wand a few flicks. Hermione watched with a smile as the walls turned a crimson red, the windows tinted themselves red and green, as well as the candle flames took on more festive coloring.  
  
Draco paused for a moment, then went back to work. Two large trees sprouted on either side of the head table and gold and silver decorations blossomed from the branches. A magic star hovered above each, one red and one green. Once again, Draco paused to survey his handiwork. He sighed and flicked his wand once more, the horrid green garland once again snaked around the room.  
  
"You're right; it's mandatory."  
  
"Not necessarily. May I?' she asked, holding up her wand. Draco nodded and held out is arm, inviting her spells. Hermione smiled and gave a flick. The terrible indoor shrubbery changed from it's prickly green self to a sheer fabric of gold and silver. It elegantly looped around the room, coming to a large holly wreath behind the head table.  
  
"Much better," Draco agreed. Hermione looked thoughtful.  
  
"Yes, but now it needs more green," she stated and looked toward the clear afternoon sky reflected on the ceiling. She smirked and raised her wand. There was a gallant flick and a white light flew from her wand and hit the ceiling, spreading and sparkling away. Draco looked from the ceiling to her, suspicious and bewildered. "Green snow," she explained. Draco smirked.  
  
"Excellent," he said, turning his face back to the ceiling. Hermione smiled and Draco looked around. "Are we done?" he asked, skeptical.  
  
"I don't know, I think it's missing something. We have trees, garland, and plenty of festive coloring...what is it?" she asked, speaking aloud to herself.  
  
"Table accents," Draco concluded and raised his wand. A plush boarder snaked around each table, some red with silver bullets, some green with gold, and little snow globes popped up along the center. Hermione took a step closer to the table to view a globe, and smiled at the tiny ice skaters who danced continuously.  
  
"It's us," she said, noting the blonde haired male with a brunette companion. Draco smiled, obviously formulating a smartass comment.  
  
"No it isn't; I can't skate like that," he said, leaning down to kiss her ear. Hermione giggled and tapped the globe with her wand. Instantly, the blonde skater slipped and fell. Tiny moans were heard from each globe as he hit the ice and the brown haired girl skated up and knelt beside him. Hermione smirked and looked at her boyfriend.  
  
"Okay, now it's us," she said. Draco gave her the attack mode look, but instead of running away, she kissed him square on the lips. Draco kissed back and when they broke away, he smirked.  
  
"We've set off the alarms; Snape will be here any minute," he said and she laughed. Hermione gave Draco another quick kiss and smiled at him.  
  
"Even if we did, I don't think Snape is planning on coming any where near us for at least today; not after what we did to him this afternoon," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"Feeling a bit guilty, are we?" he asked as Hermione slid her arms around his neck and linked her fingers behind him. She smiled.  
  
"No, I could hex that jerk and not feel guilty, but I have to admit that it was pretty evil," she pointed out. Draco nodded.  
  
"Yes, much unlike a Gryffindor. I believe I'm rubbing off on you, love," he said, not smiling until he finished. Hermione smirked and moved closer to him.  
  
"Well, keep rubbing. I like it," she said and kissed him. It wasn't a moment before the doors burst open and none other than Snape entered.  
  
"MISS GRANGER! MR. MALFOY! What are you doing?!" he bellowed. Hermione broke away and sat hard on the bench behind her, head in her hands. Draco was far too angry to keep himself under control this time and lashed out without warning.  
  
"What the hell is your problem?! That's the third time today you've snuck up on us, how the hell are you doing it anyway? There is no way that this is all coincidental," Draco yelled at the professor. Snape just stood there, looking un-intimidated, but Draco saw the subtle fear in his eyes.  
  
"Draco," Hermione said in surprise, but Draco kept his eyes on Snape.  
  
"I forbid you to speak to me in that manner, Mr. Malfoy. I'll have you know that I was going to leave you be this time, but a certain comment from Miss Granger changed my mind. Not only is it against school policy, I was not about to let you do so in the great hall...people eat in here," he explained, attempting to remain superior.  
  
"Since when is kissing against the rules? Damn, I know a lot of people with license for expulsion-" Draco began, but was cut off by Hermione, who gasped and stood.  
  
"Wait, did you think we were going to..." she began and Snape rolled his eyes, "Professor!" she yelled in outrage. Draco, who had just gained understanding of Snape's line of reasoning, turned pale and broke in.  
  
"Whoa, wait... As you can see, we are both fully clothed, with not intentions of changing it, I assure you," Draco said, however unconvincing. Snape rolled his eyes again.  
  
"Of course not, Mr. Malfoy. No one ever does," he said sarcastically. Draco was beyond angry; he attempted to lunge at Snape, but Hermione held her hand against his chest. However gently, Draco could not break her like that, and she knew it.  
  
"I am so fucking sick of you and your damn arrogance! How dare you think you can just degrade people like that? My father was a better person than you'll ever be, you bastard. Snape, I suggest you either tell Hermione the real reason why you've been stalking us, which we all know is because you love her, or you make up something and leave. Your presence is unwelcome here," Draco yelled at Snape and the professor turned white. He was better at keeping a straight face now than he had been a few hours ago, and simply smirked.  
  
"Think what you will, Mr. Malfoy, but I suggest you watch your language or our dear Headmaster maybe be reconsidering a promise or two he has made," he said, walking back toward the doors. "I'll leave you to your decorating, lovely as it may be. Please, no 'kissing' in the Great Hall," he added, actually using finger quotes. Snape slipped through the hall doors and Hermione turned back to the fuming Draco. She kissed his red hot cheek quickly and tried to calm him, but to no avail. His eyes were filled with hatred, directed at the door.  
  
"Run, Draco. Please... I'm afraid you might do something irrational if you don't calm down," she pleaded. Draco didn't need to be told twice; he ran directly to the hall door. Hermione was one step ahead of him and locked the door with her wand before he made it there. Anger and frustration building, Draco agreed with Hermione. He took off running and did three laps around the great hall before he even realized what he was doing.  
  
Draco forced himself to do three more without stopping, letting the anger leave with each ragged breath. When he felt almost normal again, he ran back to Hermione and sat down beside her, panting. She smiled and handed him a goblet of pumpkin juice. Draco took it and looked at her, still unable to speak.  
  
"Dobby came in to see what the ruckus was about. It took me a minute, but I convinced him you were fine and asked him to fetch you a drink. Go on, you'll feel better," she said and kissed his sweaty cheek. "It's not tea," she whispered. Draco smiled and sipped the cool drink.  
  
"Thanks," he said, finally regaining himself a little. Hermione didn't say anything, simply watched as Draco gulped down the juice.  
  
"Better?" she asked and Draco nodded, his breath coming back again.  
  
"Thanks for locking the door; I would have killed that guy," he said, leaning back. Hermione took his hand in hers and smiled.  
  
"I know," she said with a sigh. Draco took a deep breath and looked at her.  
  
"Are you mad at me?" he asked. Hermione looked back to him, surprised. "For what I said," he explained, looking regretful. Hermione smiled reassuringly.  
  
"No, of course not. You weren't thinking clearly, plus I think it was more embarrassing for Snape than for me." Draco smiled, relieved. He didn't want Hermione mad at him, not now, not ever.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The couple stayed in the great hall only a few more minutes, then decided to get back to decorating, careful to avoid the dungeons entirely. Upon reentering the lobby, Hermione sighed.  
  
"That garland really is terrible," Draco said, trying to keep his mind off of Snape. Hermione agreed and nodded to show it.  
  
"Yes, but green would look best with the ice," she pointed out. Draco nodded.  
  
"Well, why does it have to be this ratty...plastic-y stuff?" he asked and searched in his pocked for his wand. Hermione just watched him, hoping Draco had an idea to save her cavern from becoming an eyesore. Draco took out his wand and smiled victoriously, then gave it a flick. A bright green light struck the garland and rolled along it, leaving behind a shimmering green, glass-like, rope, much less of a clash from the blue-ice wall. Hermione grinned.  
  
"Beautiful," Hermione whispered and turned back to Draco. "I love it," she told him. Draco smirked and took a step toward her.  
  
"I love you," he said and leaned in for a kiss. Hermione kissed back for a while, then her mind sparked. She kissed him for one hard moment, then pulled away.  
  
"Snape," she said, nodding at something over his shoulder. Draco looked as if she had just turned into Voldemort. He spun around, eyes searching for the slime ball potions master. He saw know one and turned back to her, looking confused. Hermione was smiling.  
  
"That was NOT funny," he scolded, trying to look angry. Hermione kissed his cheek and smiled.  
  
"I don't know... I kind of thought it was," she said. Draco rolled his eyes and stepped a bit away from her, keeping her hand in his. The duo walked up the stairs to the next floor to continue their decorating, making sure to enchant some lovely snow above the staircase. Hermione now took a more traditional approach; wrapping garland around the banisters, hanging holly and mistletoe in the air, and, of course, enchanting snow over each staircase they passed.  
  
Draco, sick of all this holiday cheer, tried to make it less sentimental and more fun. He sprouted a few Christmas cacti, all wearing adorable and oddly colored Santa suites, changed the suits of armors' axes to candy canes, and made sure all the torches burned red or green with miss matching smoke.  
  
Hermione strung magical lights, charmed to work off of magic waves and not electricity, on the floor near the walls, glowing a bright blue.  
  
"Blue?" Draco asked when he noticed them. Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Well, being Christmas, we have tons of red and green, then quite a bit of gold, which is close enough to Hufflepuff yellow. I feel sorry for the Ravenclaws," she said as they strolled along, each shooting spontaneous little spells about the corridor.  
  
"The ice is blue," Draco pointed out. Hermione shrugged and smiled; the lights stayed blue.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
By seven o'clock, they had made it all the way to the ninth floor, which held only the entrance to the astronomy tower. The two went into the empty classroom on Hermione's request and were lounging on a couch, eyes on the glass ceiling. Hermione failed to suppress a gallant yawn and Draco kissed her head. Hermione was settled on his chest, arm draped around him. Draco had one arm over the back of the couch and the other on Hermione's back, running gently over her hair.  
  
"Are you hungry, love? We haven't eaten since this morning; if you can call what you did eating," Draco said, hoping she would say yes. It wasn't that big of a problem, but he had noticed how little she ate. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and sighed happily, shifting herself a little more on Draco's chest and holding him close. He sighed, **That's what I thought she'd say...** "Well, I think we're about done, save our room. Shall we go back downstairs and see how everything is holding up?" he asked, really wanting to get her to eat something.  
  
"If you want, Draco," she agreed, but it was obvious that she didn't want to move. Hermione paused for only a moment before sliding off of him and sitting up. Draco brought his hand from the back of the couch to rest on Hermione's cheek. She smiled as he kissed her, mind reeling with previously heard gossip. Evidently, almost every student couple to date had, at least once, made out in this exact spot. **Ironic....and creepy. Yes, very creepy," she thought as they kissed.  
  
Hermione always seemed to know what Draco was feeling; he was easy to read. When he had asked if she was hungry, she knew he was worried. Her mother had always been worried that she wasn't eating enough and Hermione had always felt angry, in a very mild sense, about it. The fact that Draco felt that way not only brought a trace of deluded anger, but also contentment and fear. Hermione was happy only because that was, once again, more proof that he cared for her; but the idea brought more fear than anything else. When her mother had said something, Hermione knew she was just being a mother. When Harry and Ron had mentioned something once or twice, she was worried only for a moment before dismissing it as overprotection.  
  
Now, Draco was worried. This scared her; it could mean that either Draco was becoming overprotective as well, or she really wasn't eating enough. Hermione didn't like the sound of either of those things and decided there was only one solution; eat. Not obsessively, just more than she did now. If, even with her change in habits, Draco still insisted she eat, Hermione would know he was turning into Harry and Ron. She couldn't let that happen; she had promised him, after all.  
  
When the kiss ended, Hermione decided that now was as good a time as any, considering she was a little hungry, and agreed to dinner.  
  
"While we're downstairs, we might as well eat something. Now that you mention it, I am rather hungry," Hermione said and Draco smiled. He kissed her once more before standing and holding out a hand to her. Hermione sighed happily and took it, standing as well. The two made their way out of the tower and down the winding staircases to the ninth floor. There were still nine more staircases to descend, as the great hall was on the ground level, but the couple began with smiling faces.  
  
A/N I'm not gonna make Hermione anorexic, don't worry. When I wrote this I was having the exact same problem; my mom was all 'Aren't you going to eat? Are you hungry? Don't you EVER eat anything?' and then my grandma got in on it and I was kinda mad...so I put down my feelings on the subject here. But no, she's not anorexic. I promise.  
  
PRF:  
  
Daisy- I assure you, all your questions will be answered in due time... haha.  
  
Sakke Yuy- Ohayo miss Sakke. I'm sure they all will! And don't worry; there's TONS more... even when I try and say like... I WILL do Christmas within the next twenty five pages, I end up writing seventy five more before I get there...lol  
  
Icess- America- Yes, that's what it said, and it will be explained later. Congrats. You were the ONLY one to pick that up, lol! And Percy is Ron's older brother. Everyone hates him, I don't see why you should be an exception, lol. There Bill, then Charlie, then Percy, then the twins, then Ron, then Ginny. Weasleys, so very many!  
  
Purplerks - I'm writing I'm writing! Eep! Lol. Yes, and thank you!  
  
Hannah Grey - Lol, I still think you're exaggerating...lol. Yes, I know it's weird, but think about it... he didn't actually have a fatherly figure to explain to him about such things, and he didn't go to school so he had little contact with kids who he could pick it up from, so it was just like a new weird thing and he decided to try it, without really knowing what he was doing. And he THOUGHT he loved this Selene chick, but remember that they were like 10, and who falls in love at 10?  
  
Ezmerelda- I'll put you on my list! Thanx for reading, and for your endless compliments... I do not deserve them :o)  
  
Dark Vampire- We all love the fluff, and Snape scares everyone! Lol! Yeah, I get that whole 'WHY AREN"T YOU EATING?' lecture all the time, lol.  
  
Karly- I still say you post it. I'm DEFINITELY sure I've read worse, lol  
  
`div- Thanx. And yeah, that comes up more later. Did you actually read past chapter one? Lol... its okay if you didn't review. One is more than I could hope for!  
  
Lyn- As with everyone who leaves their email, I've put you on the mailing list. If you wish to be taken off, just tell me... no hard feelings. Thanx for reading!  
  
Tom Felton's babe - Yes, I agree, and I'm not writing the sex part. Don't need to, don't want to, and I don't wanna mess it up, lol. I agree, Snape is creepy, and all people would write S/HG fics need SERIOUS help. I mean, ew... that's like Harry and McGonagall....ew! Oh, and I've put you on the mailing list, but lemme know if you want off. Cute email, is that a myownemail account? So is mine, lol...  
  
Starry Skies- Okay, phew... scared me for a second there...lol. Thanx for reading, once again!  
  
Coolsome- Okay..... that's a very interesting suggestion, but no... Mia's staying a mudblood. Snape is DEFINITELY not her dad, and Snape and McGonagall would NEVER get any where near close enough to rear children.... lol, good try though. I've read stories with similar plot lines... 


	27. Inanimate Jealousy and Suspicious Diffic...

A/N No more A/N's in the top, unless there's something really important that I need to tell you guys. I'll put the little explanations at the bottom still, though. Hehe.  
  
Disclaimer: I want to say that I took things from a lot of people. I can't name them by....name, because as I was writing, the ideas just kinda popped into my head, meaning I thought of them, but it was not my mind who birthed them. I just adopted them. Oh, and JKR owns both Draco and Hermione, as well as anyone else in this chapter. If only that weren't true..... :o(  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: Inanimate Jealousy and Suspicious Difficulties  
  
By their arrival to the lobby, Hermione really WAS hungry. She smiled at the welcome sensation and followed Draco into the great hall to reluctantly rid herself of it. Draco seemed happy, though, and that made Hermione a little less depressed.  
  
As for the decorations, everything was fine, as Hermione knew it would be. Seated at the head table, Draco asked if they could make the blonde skaters skate better again, but Hermione playfully refused.  
  
"As soon as you learn to skate better, of course we can," she kidded. Draco didn't look too happy about her plan, but Hermione didn't notice.  
  
"Please? They're my snow globes," he said, sounding like a small child. Hermione smiled sweetly at him and leaned in to watch as the blonde skater once again fell.  
  
"I like them this way; they're adorable," she said, knowing he would eventually give up and let her win. The blonde Slytherin boy whom three years ago wouldn't have let her get away with looking at him now ate out of the palm of her hand. She smiled at the thought and looked at Draco. To her surprise, he was staring at the globe with thin jealousy and loathing. She would have laughed, had the matter not been so unnerving. "Alright, that's just creepy. Not only are you jealous of an inanimate object; it's an object that is portraying yourself. Does that sound irrational to you, or is it just me?" she asked, concerned. Draco looked at her in surprise.  
  
"No I'm not. If you want to dump me for that, go ahead... but I don't think you'll get what you want out of the relationship," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"What were you thinking about?" she asked, sounding both demanding and curious. Without even thinking, Draco answered.  
  
"Viktor Krumb," he said. Hermione looked at him, undeniably surprised. Draco's eyes widened as he heard himself say the words. He sighed and began to explain. "Well, for some reason, I was thinking about Quidditch and how we won't have a cup this year. Then I remembered that we didn't have one forth year, as always, you were mixed in, so it makes sense that I would think of him after what you told me the other night," he explained. Hermione smiled and nodded.  
  
"So that makes Viktor, Snape and Evan or Eric or whatever that guys name was; and how long have we been dating?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Two days, officially. Did that guy tell you his name?" he asked, jealous again. Hermione mentally shook her head at him.  
  
"I read it off his name tag, Draco," she said. Draco nodded, looking relieved. There was a pause, not uncomfortable, and they ate in silence. "Draco, don't take this the wrong way; it's not as if there's any reason to be, but, why aren't you jealous of Harry and Ron?" she asked, sounding curious more than anything, but a little nervous that he would get suspicious. Draco looked unsurprised at the question and shrugged, dropping his fork and leaning back a bit in his chair.  
  
"I trust them. I know they wouldn't hurt you, and I'm pretty sure they're not a threat to us, so there's no need. Kind of like Herm; he's harmless," he told her, looking blankly at nothing. Hermione smiled.  
  
"And those other guys are? I'll probably never see that Evan guy again, unless he's coincidently working there the next time I go shopping, I haven't seen Viktor since he left forth year and I haven't gotten a letter from him since the beginning of summer, and that was after six months or so of nothing. Then there's Snape; well, Snape is a different story," she said and Draco turned to her, for the first time, when she mentioned Snape.  
  
"How do you mean?" he asked, trying not to seem suspicious. Now Hermione was the one who looked thoughtfully down at nothing.  
  
"I can't deny that he would love to hurt me, and he is a threat to us, but only in the sense that he could get us separated, not that I would choose him," she said, entirely dead-tone. Draco leaned in to kiss her ear, as he had taken the habit of doing. When he finished, Draco did not pull away.  
  
"He won't; I'll kill him first," he whispered and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I wouldn't put it past you if he made you angry enough," she said as he kissed her again. Draco chuckled a little.  
  
"His presence in the room would make me angry enough," he pointed out, remembering what had happened earlier. Hermione smiled and pulled back, kissing him firmly on the lips. "Finished?" he asked, talking about their dinner. Hermione looked at her half eaten meal and was proud of herself, despite the unbelievably full feeling in her stomach. She looked back to Draco with a smile and shook her head. Draco began to raise an eyebrow, but was cut off by Hermione's lips. She kissed him deep, then pulled away.  
  
"Okay, now I'm finished," she said. Draco smiled and gave her one quick kiss.  
  
"Do you want to go upstairs?" he asked, knowing she was tired and eight was too late to do much else.  
  
"To the astronomy tower? Not really, but we can go back to our room," she said, readying herself to stand. Draco beat her in the race and held out his hand to her.  
  
"That's what I meant. Nine flights of stairs is a bit much for a couple of hours of star gazing, especially this late. If you want to see stars, look up; much easier," he said as they made their way back across the hall. Hermione laughed and did as he suggested, looking to the star filled ceiling.  
  
"Oh look, it's snowing; I didn't even notice. I forgot I made the snow green," she said as she noticed the few drifting green flakes. Draco smiled and kissed her cheek again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Once back in the common room, Hermione tried to decide how to decorate. Together, they had decided not to be so extreme; going with what a normal home would look like near Christmas. Obviously, a tree was mandatory, but Draco made it very small. Hermione thought it was cute and didn't complain.  
  
"Oh, you'll like this," he told her and flicked his wand. A string of popcorn garland emerged from the tip and coiled it around the tiny tree, which laughed at the tickle. Hermione joined it for a moment, then looked to Draco with a smile.  
  
"Did your tree just laugh at me?" she asked and Draco smirked.  
  
"No love, he was laughing with you and his name is Douglas," he said and flicked his wand again. The popcorn chain began to glow like lights, every other one a different color. One more quick flick and a tiny gold star appeared on Douglas' tip.  
  
"How original," she said and turned back to the tiny Christmas Village she was assembling on the mantle. Her collection of buildings consisted of a school, shops, and a few homes. There were roads, streetlamps, and even a large skating rink. As this was a magic display, the people roamed the streets and flew on their tiny brooms, shopping and enjoying themselves. After setting it up, Hermione took a step back and raised her wand, then proceeded to say a very complicated spell out-loud. Draco came up behind her as she once again stepped up to look.  
  
"Isn't that..." he began, pointing, and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yep, it's Hogsmeade. Meaning this is Hogwarts and this is the lake you refuse to skate with me on," she said and kissed his cheek. Draco smiled.  
  
"What was that spell you did?" he asked, exploring the tiny village.  
  
"I charmed it so that it portrays what's really happening. Here, look in this window," she said, pointing to the replica of Hogwarts. Draco did as she asked and Hermione dashed across the common room to their window. Draco smiled as he saw the little Hermione appear and wave to him.  
  
"That's cute," he said when she turned and walked back to him.  
  
"You're cute," she said and kissed his cheek again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hours later, after much reading and chit-chat, Hermione was sitting cross- legged on the floor, quill to parchment on a clipboard. Draco, who was reading on the couch, looked over to her with a smile. It was so common for her to just sit there and write like that, it was as if he wasn't even there.  
  
"What are you doing, love?" he asked and Hermione looked up at him with a smile.  
  
" I'm trying to think of questions for Dumbledore. I'm excited, I can't help it," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"The only question I have is where I'm going to be having classes; you can't apparate on Hogwarts grounds," he reminded her and she shrugged.  
  
"I don't know," she said and turned back to her paper to write down Draco's question. Both heads turned to the small village as the town clock struck ten. A flash of curiosity seemed to flash in Draco's eyes and he closed his book. Grabbing his wand before standing, Draco made his way to look at the village. Hermione watched him walk over, then turned back to her list, seeing nothing unusual. It was a few minutes before anyone spoke. Draco stood by the fire and Hermione stayed perched on the rug.  
  
"Hey, come here," Draco said semi-suddenly. Hermione stood and walked to him.  
  
"What?" she asked the boy who's eyes were on the tiny sculptures.  
  
"Look," he said and held up his wand. "Tiempo atras," he said and Hermione watched as the little figures in the village began to quickly move backward, undoing whatever they had just done.  
  
"Wow, I didn't know you could rewind it," she said, awed by the sight. Draco was smiling.  
  
"That's not all," he said. "Atras de December 13th, 12:25pm." All the people vanished, only to be replaced by different witches and wizards. Everyone stood still, paused in time. "Watch the doors," he said, gesturing to the school, "Tiempo va," he finished and the village sprang to life. As asked, Hermione kept her eyes on the doors of the school. It wasn't a moment more before they opened and two figures exited. A blonde boy and a brown haired girl, obviously them.  
  
"That is so cool," she said and laughed as, once again, Draco was covered in snow. Then, the blonde boy picked the little Hermione up and carried her off, shrieking in laughter.  
  
"I still can't believe you let me do that," Draco said as they watched. Hermione smiled and glanced at him.  
  
"What was I supposed to do; beat you up?" she asked sarcastically. Draco gave her a quick kiss near her earlobe and smiled.  
  
"I would have put you down if you really wanted me to," he told her.  
  
"Who said I wanted you to?" she said and turned back to watch herself again. The tiny Head Boy and Girl were kissing now, seated in the snow. The scene looked so happy; so right, as if it were planned. "We look so good together," Hermione said, feeling Draco's arm wrap around her and pull her close.  
  
"You'd look good with anyone," he said and kissed her head. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Was that a compliment or a hint?" she asked with mock-suspicion. Draco smiled a bit crookedly.  
  
"An evident failure at a compliment, I think. Look, Snape's coming out," he said and Hermione turned her eyes back to the village. Sure enough, the miniature potions master came through the doors and walked down the steps. The tiny Draco continued to kiss his Hermione for a bit longer, then she pulled away and they laid together in the snow. The real Draco squeezed the viewing Hermione closer as he felt a stone of anger rise in his throat again. He reached out and attempted to pluck up the tiny teacher with a thumb and forefinger, only to find that they passed through him like a ghost. "Damn," he said and stopped his ridiculous attempts.  
  
The two watched as Snape approached and talked to their minute selves. Each smiled as they saw the man go white and hurry off.  
  
"That I wouldn't mind watching a few more times," Draco said with a smirk. Hermione tried to agree, but was interrupted by another yawn. They continued to watch as their minions began another kiss, then stood and walked back to the castle. Draco sighed and flicked his wand, sending the village back to it's presently near deserted state.  
  
"Why don't we go to bed, love?" he asked softly. Hermione shook her head and paused as she stifled yet another yawn.  
  
"No, I should finish that list," she said, digging her head into him for a moment. Draco smiled at her determination and kissed her hair.  
  
"Come on, Hermione. There will be plenty of time for that tomorrow. You're exhausted; look at you," he pointed out. Hermione knew he was right, but didn't want to admit it.  
  
"That's never stopped me before," she said and looked up at him. Draco tried to look warningly, but his face fell into an almost pleading look. He was worried for her tiredness, but more so just wanted to go to bed with her; just lay with Hermione for hours. Hermione knew this and smiled. "Alright," she said and kissed him in defeat. Draco released her and watched as she shuffled toward the bathroom, smile a mile wide across his face.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco grabbed his book from the common room sofa and strolled off to his room. He hurriedly down dressed himself, then sat casually on the bed to wait for his better half. She entered not long after, looking as bad, if not worse, than she had while they watched the village. She was slouching, walking slowly, and holding a hand gently on her stomach. As he watched her walk to her side and get into bed beside him, Draco couldn't help but notice how white she looked. Hermione smiled as she slid down in bed, looking up at him, obviously trying to hide her discomfort.  
  
"Are you feeling alright, love? You look a little pale," he asked, concern evident in his voice, Draco placed a hand on her overly warm cheek and stroked it for comfort.  
  
"So do you," she said, sliding her hand over his. Draco's lips curled into a pathetic smile while his eyes held his concern.  
  
"Yeah, but I always look like that. Really, are you okay?" he repeated. Hermione held her smile, too glad for his love to worry about his overreaction.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. I think I just ate too much at dinner, or the wrong combination of things or something...I'll be alright tomorrow," she said. **Probably because you didn't eat anything until dinner, then ate twice as much as you normally do. What are you trying to prove?** he sighed mentally, eyes just staring at her, **I just love you, you know. So sue me,** he finished and smiled, a little more genuine. "Coming?" Hermione asked the boy who was still seated at the edge of the bed.  
  
When Draco realized what she was talking about, he kissed her quickly and took repossession of his hand. The Slytherin pulled back the dark green bed sheets and slid into the bed beside his beautiful Gryffindor. She smiled and turned away from him on her side.  
  
Draco felt a wave of both fear and uncertainty as he saw this. He wanted terribly to hold her close, just lay there with her, but her actions confused him. Did she want him to hold her, or was she upset? Should he risk advancing, or just lay back and go to sleep?  
  
Hermione alone knew the answers to these questions, but she was swimming in her own. She rolled her shoulders back, a confused and mildly hurt look on her face. Draco smiled when he saw this; she wasn't angry.  
  
"Draco?" she asked, not understanding. She had waited, anticipating the warmth of him as he pulled himself close to her, but he hadn't moved.  
  
Draco kissed her as she looked at him. Hermione kissed back, although not sure what was going on. They finished the kiss more gently than they had started it.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked when the broke apart. Draco merely smiled.  
  
"Nothing. For once, absolutely nothing," he said, sounding strangely happy. Hermione smiled a bit and rolled back onto her side. She couldn't help but moan a little as his arm closed around her and he pressed his body against hers.  
  
"Mmm... why didn't you do that before?" she asked, closing her eyes and enjoying his warmth and closeness. Draco kissed her neck softly and sighed, obviously as content as she was.  
  
"I wasn't exactly sure you wanted it; I remember the last time you did that," he explained. Hermione snuggled into him a bit before saying anything back.  
  
"I wanted that more last time than I ever have," she said and Draco kissed her again.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, but she was too close to sleep to really hear him. Draco smile and kissed her once more. "I love you, Hermione Granger," he assured her before letting himself drift off as well.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Once again, Draco and Hermione found themselves with broken sleep. This night came with more favorable conditions than the last, however. The light snow observed in the great hall was no longer falling outside and, due to a strange jump in temperature, was replaced by a heavy rain. By one o'clock that morning, a full blown storm was brewing, complete with high winds and lightning. With lightning comes thunder and it was an unusually loud spell of this phenomenon, combined with a bright flash of the scar inspiring element, which brought Hermione from her oblivion of dulcet dreams.  
  
She woke with a start, jumping rather harshly, as the storm did it's dirty work. Hermione was breathing hard, scared out of an already heart racing dream. Still in the position they had fallen asleep in, Draco tightened his arm around the frightened girl. Hermione was reminded of his presence and felt instantly calmer. She sighed and attempted to slow her breathing, not wanting to wake him if he was asleep. Hermione smiled as his lips gently touched behind her ear and knew that he too had been awoken.  
  
Hermione moved away from him and rolled so that she was once again on her side, but was now facing the smiling blonde boy. His hand now rested on her hip, sliding there as she rolled below it.  
  
"Hey," she said, not knowing what else she could.  
  
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Draco asked, remembering that she hadn't felt well when they had gone to sleep. Hermione smiled; he remembered.  
  
"Better, other than that whole loud noise waking me up thing," she said and he smiled. Draco gave her a kiss, not short, but not incredibly long as many of their others had been.  
  
"Good." There was a pause. "What were you dreaming?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously. Hermione closed her eyes and shuddered as she remembered and Draco smiled at her. "Bad dream?"  
  
"No, unbelievably incredible dream," she said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Draco smiled again.  
  
"I know what that means; so who was it? Snape, Evan, Viktor, or the guy in the plastic bubble?" he asked with a smirk. Hermione gave him a quick kiss and smirked back.  
  
"Well, Evan was there for a while, but Viktor threw a snitch and knocked him out. Quidditch King didn't really get his turn, though; Snape scared him off before he got a chance. Bubble Boy tried, but he gave up his attempts at escaping his bubble and settled for his little Bubble Tramp," she said with only subtle sarcasm. Draco looked at her with his mouth open, face white in horror. Hermione laughed and pushed his shoulder. "I'm kidding, Draco. Of course it was you; you're so gullible. Did I wake you?" she asked and Draco let out the breath he had evidently been holding.  
  
"No, I've long since trained myself not to be able to sleep through thunderstorms. They're just too fun to miss," he informed her. Hermione smiled and placed her hand on top of his, which was lying face up on the bed, his other still on her hip.  
  
"For some reason, I don't find that surprising," she said and he kissed her softly before lying back. Hermione, implying what he wanted, crawled closer to him, placing her head on his chest. She sighed as he brought his arm around her and snuggled into him. "I love you," she whispered and felt Draco kiss her head.  
  
The two stayed that way for hours, unable to sleep. Hermione slid her hand up Draco's thin t-shirt and rested it on his abs, stroking with her thumb. Draco, wanting to give her equal attention, trailed his fingers up and down her spine. Hermione yawned again, very deep, and Draco felt it.  
  
"Why don't you try to get some sleep, love. I can silence the room if it'll help," he suggested, reaching to the table beside him for his wand.  
  
"No, don't. What a waste of a perfectly good storm. It's okay, I'll go to sleep eventually, but you should too, you know. You have just as much to do tomorrow as I do and I've already had more sleep than you," she pointed out. Draco smiled and kissed her once more before doing as she asked and closing his eyes. Sleep didn't come easy; he wanted to enjoy the storm, but it did come.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Only about an hour after they had both fallen asleep, both Draco and Hermione were reawakened. This time, however, they had reason to be. A loud knock on the door brought them both out of sleep and stuck them with identical stabs of fear.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy!" called the voice of Dumbledore, then there was a pause. Draco and Hermione exchanged equal looks of fear. Then, a new wave rolled over them as Dumbledore spoke again. "Miss Granger?" he voiced, more of a question than a call.  
  
"Draco..." Hermione whispered, nervous and afraid. Draco held a finger to her lips and made to get out of bed. "But..."  
  
"Shh, lay back down, love. Pretend you're asleep. I've got an idea," he whispered. Hermione looked nervous, but nodded and laid back down. Draco arranged the covers just as Dumbledore knocked again.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy!" he called. Draco pulled a chair to the side of the bed and threw a blanket on it, then he went to open the door. Hermione lay still, eyes squeezed shut, pretending to sleep. Draco greeted the Professor with an exaggerated groggy look.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," he whispered. "Hermione's asleep," he said, standing aside so he could see her. The headmaster looked at the girl, then back to Draco, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He raised an eyebrow to the blonde and Draco smiled a little in an attempt to hide how nervous he was. He turned his head to Hermione and proceeded to explain why she was there. "She was scared," he said and turned back to the bearded man, "What with the storm and all. Unless it's necessary, I'd rather not wake her; she hasn't been sleeping well," he finished with a concerned sigh. "Can I help you with something, Professor?"  
  
"Oh, right Mr. Malfoy. I apologize for waking you at such an ungodly hour, but the storm has caused some... difficulties... and I must insist that neither you nor Miss Granger leave your quarters until further notice, just as a precaution," he explained in a whisper, respecting Draco's request.  
  
"Difficulties?" he asked, sounding a bit worried.  
  
"Yes, but not to worry. Everything should be fine by this afternoon; I will have someone alert you when it is alright to roam about the halls," he said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Of course, Professor," he agreed.  
  
"Get some sleep, Mr. Malfoy," he suggested and turned to leave.  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Draco said as he closed the door. Draco breathed a deep sigh and turned back to Hermione. She hadn't moved except to open her eyes and smile. He smiled back at her and she shifted, rolling onto her back. Draco didn't move, just watched her. Hermione sighed and smiled at him.  
  
"Come back to bed, Draco," she pleaded in a whisper. Draco smiled and obeyed, moving the chair away again. He kissed her as she crawled back on top of him, resettling herself. "I'm glad you can think critically; I would have panicked and said something stupid and unbelievable. What was the chair for, anyway?" she asked, closing her eyes. Draco rubbed her back gently, letting his hand brush under her hair.  
  
"So he wouldn't think I was sleeping with you," he said, placing his head gently against hers, inhaling the fresh and light scent of her hair.  
  
"He already knows," she reminded him and Draco sighed.  
  
"Yes, but it couldn't hurt. At least you can sleep late; evidently the storm caused some kind of problem," he said.  
  
"I heard. What could a storm do that magic couldn't fix?" she asked, not really expecting him to know.  
  
"I don't know. Evidently something," he said, only slightly fibbing. He could think of a few pretty bad things; thunderstorms could throw off magic force fields and redirect the energy elsewhere, often causing some pretty messy results. Draco didn't see the need to worry her. "I'm sure it's nothing. Go back to sleep, love. This is getting ridiculous," he said and smiled as she laughed and shifted a little, moving her legs against his.  
  
"Draco, why do you never wear shorts?" she asked and Draco laughed.  
  
"What? Hermione, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I have never once seen you wear anything other than pants or long robes. Do you even have knees?" she asked. Draco laughed again and kissed her head.  
  
"Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it isn't there," he whispered. Hermione smiled.  
  
"You didn't answer me," she reminded him.  
  
"You know Hermione, not everyone can have legs as attractive as your," he told her and Hermione almost laughed.  
  
"I can't imagine anything about you being unattractive, Drakkie-po," she said, smiling as she felt his flinch. Draco decided to ignore the last bit and pretended not to mind.  
  
"Well, as long as I'm asleep," he said sarcastically. Hermione giggled and turned up her head.  
  
"Good idea," she said and kissed him, letting him have an early taste, then settled back down and closed her eyes. Draco slid his hand up the back of her shirt a little, letting his fingers rest just above the small of her back. Hermione smiled at his touch and Draco once again closed his eyes and waited for sleep.  
  
A/N Lots of fun little tid bits in this chapter, what with the decorating...the teaching thing...and the waking up a few times. I thought it was pretty good, despite the fact that it was totally pointless, lol. Hey, at least it was interesting, right? Oh! And, I don't speak Latin....so I substituted with crude Spanish. Sorry. Close enough, right?  
  
PRF:  
  
Nikki- how many? About a bazillion, lol... don't tell, but I don't think I will...or at least not for Hermione... I'm not exactly sure WHAT I'm going to do, but yeah...not that. I know; I just couldn't do that.... well, I did in my other story, but he was dead from the beginning, sort of... I couldn't kill this one; it's like I know him or something...lol  
  
Tom Felton's babe - Yeah, I think you've mentioned that... lol. I don't know about Snape, really, and there will be a sequel, but it'll start the day they have to leave for the summer.... OMG I have SO much planned; I can't wait! But I've made myself promise to finish this one first; it wouldn't make sense to start a new one if it's a continuation of an unfinished one, or something... lol  
  
Spider girl- sure, ill put you on the list; thanx for being so enthusiastic about reading my stuff! And, as for how I write it... I don't know... it just happens....lol  
  
Serena - I'll think about it...lol, that would make a good short story; just go to a theme park.... lol... thanx!  
  
Lirawen- Yeah, I know I'm super immature, but that's okay; it's fun. I was kinda already having a bad day that day anyway, and your ruthless criticism didn't help much, not that I'm really blaming my actions on you. I have to point out, though, that your reply to my reply to your original review caused you to seem just as immature as I am. And, this correspondence between you and my good friend Lily Rainwater through my review system is rather immature as well; I mean, you felt the need to just tell her off? Isn't that exactly the same thing I did to you which caused you to act all superior again? Yeah, well, think about it... and, just so you know, it wasn't that your one petty flame made me that angry, it was just that I needed to be angry for a minute, and hostilely telling you off seemed to do the trick. Don't take it personally, I would have done it to anyone. Actually, go ahead and take it personally if you want... I really don't care what anyone thinks anymore. And I know my story sucks, and I know that a real editor wouldn't like it at all and probably laugh his mutinous head off at me, and I know that all the stupid people on ff.net are like six and are confused by words such as 'obloquious' but I don't care about that either... it's just a freaking Harry Potter fanfiction anyway, it's not like I have real talent or the will to write anything that would even be considered pitiful, why the hell are you people so damn serious about it? That's like getting pissed off when you're the 'pinny' team in gym and the white team beats you at kickball. Who gives a shit, it's all for nothing anyway....Oh, and I read the review you wrote to Starry Skies. Being the wonderfully talented writer that you are, I would think you would know how to spell such a word. You wrote writter at least four times. It's writer.  
  
Dark Vampire- yeah, I know... that would be creepy, but I know teachers who are married to other teachers, and I don't see them making out, so I'll just have to stuff them in broom closets when then need an ::ah hem:: minute alone ;o)  
  
Sweet Sorrow- thanx, and I wasn't really mad at you... lol. I've written all this ahead of time, so it's just coincidence that he 'isn't so sentimental' in this chapter, or whatever. Lol.  
  
Sakke Yuy- Ohayo Miss Sakke. Yeah, Snape is a creep. He has monitoring charms, lol. The jobs were a little just way out there, and I know the idea has been used before... but I needed something for them to DO. GOD it's so boring just making them read or study all the time...lol, didn't you get that vibe? Lol. Thanx!  
  
Starry Skies- I'm sorry. She has a gerbil up her ass or something. And she say's I'M immature... geez. Anyway, I WILL be looking out, lol. Thanx, once again, for reading! 


	28. Just When Everything is Perfect

Disclaimer: Me saying I own this and expecting you to believe me is like when Romeo says:  
  
If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.  
  
And actually expects Juliet to fall for it. Yeah right. No, I don't own any of this.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Just When Everything is Perfect  
  
The couple was not awoken again that night; the storm seemed to calm down as soon as it discovered it had caused Dumbledore problems. Strangely, Draco woke first the next day, mind still lingering on snippets of dreams; all of which involved the brown eyed girl beside him. Draco smiled as he felt her warm breath through the thin material of his cotton t-shirt. It still seemed odd to wake up and find Hermione asleep, although he had been awake while she slept during that entire week of paranoia. Draco sighed and slid his hand, which was still a little up her shirt, farther up her back, loving the feeling of her skin beneath his fingertips. Hermione shifted a little at his touch and, although she seemed to be enjoying it, he stopped; he didn't want to wake her.  
  
He had, in some sense, lied to Dumbledore about her not sleeping well. For the most part, Hermione slept well and with quality... she just never did much of it. Hermione always seemed to go to bed late and wake up early, ending up exhausted by seven o'clock. Draco pushed the worry as far away as it would go; he knew he was overreacting and that wasn't good. Hermione didn't need to feel worried about; she hated it. He looked up at the ceiling and asked a rhetorical question, just to get himself thinking.  
  
**Why does she have that effect on people if the result is the opposite of what she wants?**  
  
Unfortunately, this only made Draco depressed and sorry for her. **Dammit! She wouldn't want that either,** he realized and pushed it away as well. Draco changed his style of thinking, concentrating on how much he needed the girl who presently rested against him. Thoughts of Hermione were the only way to rid himself of pity for her; which he knew she hated. Draco didn't want to be pitied; no one does. **Why do I feel the need to do to her, Hermione, whom I love, something I would hate to be done to myself? What kind of a person DOES that?** he vaguely asked himself before simply stopping and focusing all of his attention on Hermione.  
  
Draco concentrated first on the weight of her on top of him and her warmth. For the first time, he realized how incredibly light she was; much lighter than Pansy. Draco had slept with Pansy only once, and at his father's demand. Evidently, the evil man was hoping that they would bond, or something similar, but the occurrence only caused Draco to hate both Pansy and his father more.  
  
Draco sighed and pushed the thoughts of Pansy away with ease and force, sending them flying off for what he hoped was good. **Why is it so hard to concentrate on her now, when she's right here, and I want to, yet so easy when I shouldn't? ** he wondered as his focus was brought back to his beloved.  
  
Her breath was the next element of speculation, warm and light, like sunshine on his skin. Draco smiled and continued his mental exploration of her body against his. From her fingertips, held softly on his chest, to her leg, bent and resting on his. He loved every aspect of her presence.  
  
Even more surprising than waking up before her, Draco found himself awake for hours, waiting for her to stir. When Hermione finally did wake, it was close to noon. She took a deep breath and stretched, then shakily brought her hand to her forehead. Draco smiled when he saw this; he'd waited, unmoving, the entire time.  
  
"Now who's been waiting two and a half hours?" he whispered. Hermione shifted a little and groggily moaned.  
  
"What? What time is it?" she asked, keeping her eyes closed.  
  
"Quarter of twelve," he replied, sounding a little more serious.  
  
"What? Are you kidding?" Hermione asked, removing her hand and shifting to sit up a little, obviously with much effort. Draco looked up at her, knowing something was wrong, but unable to determine what.  
  
"No, it is. Hermione, are you alright?" he asked, noticing that she still had not opened her eyes. Hermione brought her hand back up to her head and nodded.  
  
"Is it possible to remain sober and still get a hangover?" she asked and Draco sat up quickly, looking instantly twice as concerned. "That's what it feels like," she said, then paused and brought her hand back down. Hermione tried to open her eyes, but shut them again as the bright light of the room penetrated her pupils. "Ow," she whispered and rubbed her pained sensors gently. Draco, instantly aware of her discomfort, grabbed his wand from the bedside table and closed the bed curtains around them. There was still enough light to see, but it was much less harsh.  
  
"Better?" he asked, leaning closer to her. Hermione smiled and blinked her eyes open, able to see with only minor discomfort.  
  
"Yeah, thanks," she said and kissed his cheek. Draco smiled for a moment, then went back to looking extremely worried.  
  
"Do you want me to call Madam Pomfrey? " he asked, moving his hand to her arm and sliding it up once and then back down.  
  
"No, I'm alright. I don't feel that bad, actually; just different. I have a bit of a head-ache, but that's all," she said. Hermione was lying; she felt as if she'd been hit by a truck. Her head was pounding and her stomach felt like it had been punched repeatedly. Her entire body ached, with great stabbing pains as she moved; it was similar to being locked in a tiny box for hours, then finally getting out. What bothered Hermione the most, however, was that her eyes were sensitive enough to the light that it hurt to look at Draco; his hair incredibly bright. Emotionally, looking at him was almost nice; he looked extremely worried... it made her feel loved.  
  
"Well, lay back down, love. Do you want anything? Tea?" he asked, hating to see her in pain. Hermione smiled and looked at him, despite how much at hurt; immediately, she felt her eyes begin to water.  
  
"Draco, I just slept for about twelve hours; I'm not going to lay down. I'm fine; maybe walking will help," she said, not sure why she was protesting. Hermione tried to get out of bed, but even moving that slight amount to get closer to the edge sent bolts of pain through her body. "Or not," she said, sounding strained, then gave in and gingerly laid back down, her back in agony.  
  
"That's it, I'm getting Pomfrey," Draco declared and moved to get out of bed. Hermione reached out to him.  
  
"No, don't. My body is just a little more tired than my mind is. I'll just stay here for a while, it's alright," she argued. Something about Madam Pomfrey had always scared her a little. The old woman wasn't always pleasant, but wasn't as unwanted as Snape. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if the woman actually knew how to cure anything, or if she just force-fed the ill sleeping potions until they got over whatever they had.  
  
Draco looked uncertain, but ultimately decided to let Hermione decide what to do. She was, after all, the one not feeling well.  
  
"Alright," he said, although reluctantly. "Close your eyes, love. I'm opening the curtain for a minute," he said. Hermione smiled and obeyed, also covering them with her hands.  
  
"Oh; thanks, Draco," she said and Draco kissed her cheek before opening the curtain and getting out of bed.  
  
"Alright," he said when they were safely closed again. Draco then grabbed his wand and did a few simple spells, making the rest of the room as dark as the curtained bed. When he was sure it was safe, Draco said one more spell and let the curtains slide slowly back into the corners, revealing an obviously pained Hermione.  
  
She was laying back now, hand on her forehead and eyes closed, tears of agony sliding slowly down her face. Draco was at her side in an instant, smoothing her hair with his fingers. He leaned down and kissed her lips; not a deep kiss, not even one where she would be expected to kiss back-- just a gentle kiss to show that he was there for her. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" he asked, hoping she would say something. Hermione only smiled and opened her eyes a fraction.  
  
"I love you," she told him and closed her eyes again, evidently going back to sleep. The tone Hermione had used to tell him that made Draco suddenly very nervous. It sounded like she was giving up; as if those were the last words she planned to say. He sighed and kissed her forehead before getting up and leaving her to sleep. Draco walked across the room, stopping at the chair he had used in attempt at fooling Dumbledore, and slid it to her side. He sat, eyes glued on the Head Girl, and waited. Draco was determined to stay there as long as it took, and ended up doing so for over an hour, watching her sleep and listening to her breathe. Hermione didn't move at all the entire time and Draco was beginning to worry.  
  
**If she's not any better when she wakes up, I'm getting he nurse. No matter what she says. End of discussion," he concluded, convincing himself as much as he would have her. Just as Draco finished the thought, Hermione stirred. She opened her eyes and looked to her side, searching for Draco. Of course, he wasn't in the bed and she sighed, closing her eyes again.  
  
"Draco?" she called, sounding hoarse.  
  
"It's alright, Hermione. I'm right here," he assured her, leaning toward the bed and placing a hand on her stomach. Hermione smiled and moved the hand not on her head to cover his.  
  
"Hey," she said, rubbing her fingers over his. She cautiously opened her eyes and was relieved to discover that it not longer hurt to look at him. Draco looked worried, still dressed in his nightclothes, obviously not showered. "Have you been in here this whole time?" she asked, taking her hand away from her face. Draco smiled a little.  
  
"I wanted to be here when you woke up," he explained quickly, then went on to more important matters. "How are you feeling?" he asked, sounding both relieved and worried. Hermione smiled and took a deep breath, speaking on the exhale.  
  
"Better, actually," she told him and pushed herself up with her arms, attempting to sit up, but with obvious effort. Draco could tell it hurt and he stepped up to ease her.  
  
"Don't love; don't move," he said, trying to hold her in place. Hermione paused and held her breath as she waited for the dull pain to die down.  
  
"No, it's better than it was," she insisted.  
  
"Look, Hermione. Just let me get Pomfrey. You look terrible; you'll feel better... please?" he pleaded, bringing a hand to her face. Hermione could tell how worried he was; she couldn't say no to him. Hermione looked at Draco, seeing the hope in his eyes and sighed.  
  
"Let's just wait until they come and tell us we can leave; I think it's going away, anyway," she said and Draco looked shot-down.  
  
"But Hermione, that could be hours. They said this afternoon, but that doesn't mean anything," he said, sounding desperate. Hermione's look didn't change and Draco slightly huffed, now sounding commanding. "I'm calling her in an hour, regardless if someone comes and regardless of how you feel," he said and Hermione hung her head. Draco sighed again and leaned in to whisper to her. "I'm just worried; I love you, Hermione," he told her and placed a kiss behind her ear. Hermione nodded and pulled back, turning her head and kissing him. Draco kissed back, but gently; not sure of how it felt for her.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said when they broke apart.  
  
"Shh...I'm going to get you some tea, alright? I'll be right back." Draco kissed her quickly before getting up. He walked out to the common room for the first time that day, taking note of the roaring fire. He prepared the tea for Hermione, briefly considering slipping something into it which would make her feel better, but decided against it. She would be mad if she found out and Draco didn't know what he could use, other than some sort of sleeping potion, which he didn't have.  
  
Draco reentered his room with the steaming mug and found Hermione, sitting up and looking almost happy. She looked up when Draco returned, a big smile on her face.  
  
"Well, you seem better," he said with a smile and Hermione nodded.  
  
"I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, but it all went away very fast. I feel almost normal, except I haven't been this rested in as long as I can remember," she told him as Draco returned to the chair beside her.  
  
"Good," he said and held out the tea to her. Hermione took it with a smile and Draco kissed her ear before sitting back down.  
  
"Thanks," she said, taking a sip. Draco just smiled, relieved that she felt better. "Draco, why don't you go ahead and shower; I'm not going anywhere, you don't have to stay with me." Draco leaned back and let the hair that had fallen into his eyes stay there.  
  
"I will before I call Pomfrey," he stated and Hermione dropped her shoulders in defeat. Draco cocked his head to look at her. "I said regardless," he reminded her and Hermione nodded, however not agreeing with him. "What do you have against her, anyway, love?" Draco asked, curious more than anything.  
  
"She's just going to tell me I'm fine and make me go to sleep," she pointed out and Draco smiled, letting the backs of his fingers come up to and glide across her face.  
  
"I know, but I'd feel better knowing that," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I guess," she agreed and Draco moved his fingers away, only to place a kiss in their place.  
  
"Thanks," he said, pulling away and leaning back in his chair. Hermione settled herself back against the headboard with ease, no pain evident in her eyes at all. Draco smiled; she was better.  
  
"Hey Draco, what are we doing for Christmas?" she asked, trying to make conversation, considering they would be staying there for a while.  
  
"I don't know, I thought we were just going to stay here; unless you can think of something else you want to do," he said with a smile. Hermione sighed happily and blissfully, thinking of a Christmas alone with Draco.  
  
"No, that sounds better than anything else I can think of, but I'd like to do something more on New Years; go somewhere with people," she suggested.  
  
"Yeah. When do the others come back? The third?" Hermione nodded. "Maybe we could get Dumbledore to let us go to Gulden Park, if you feel up to it, that is. We still don't know if you're sick; it could get worse."  
  
"I hope not, that would be horrid. Gulden Park?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"In Whales; wizarding equivalent to Times Square," he explained. "It only takes about five minutes to apparate there form here, so I'm sure he'll let us, if you want to," he informed her and Hermione seemed thrilled with the idea.  
  
"That is, if he ever lets us past the common room door. That sounds wonderful. It's depressing to spend New Years without a party, and what kind of party only has two people?" she asked rhetorically, making Draco smile.  
  
"We could always just invite the teachers; most of them were probably around for the first millennium, it'll be a blast." Hermione laughed and Draco felt himself smile; the sound like music to his ears.  
  
"I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, but maybe we should do it with them. I'm sure Snape will be happy to kiss me at midnight," she said with a smirk. Draco, who was looking out the window at the lazy drizzle, turned sharply back to Hermione.  
  
"Originally, I was just kidding, but now, I'm just scared. Gulden Park it is," he said with widened eyes, then turned back to the window. Hermione giggled and brought her knees up. Draco turned to here again, eyes spotted with worry. "You probably shouldn't move too much, love," he reminded her, but Hermione shrugged.  
  
"I'm alright. I've been in bed for going on fourteen hours; I think I might fuse to it if I don't move at least a little." Draco smiled, a bit crookedly, and sighed, standing up. He leaded down and kissed her lips quickly before explaining himself.  
  
"I'm going to go shower now, love," he told her, hand on her cheek. Hermione smiled again and tried not to look sad.  
  
"And then?" she asked, knowing perfectly well what he was planning. Draco smiled comfortingly, knowing she wouldn't like what he would do after. He kissed her again, this time a tad bit harder.  
  
"I love you," he whispered, then only paused a moment before smoothly walking across the room and out the door. Hermione watched him leave and smiled as Draco popped his head back in. "Don't even think about getting out of that bed," he warned, raising his eyebrows in a threatening manner.  
  
"Of course not, Madam Pomfrey," she said sarcastically, looking as innocent as possibly. Draco tried to look threatening, but couldn't help himself and simply laughed. Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and Draco shook his head at her.  
  
"Don't stick out your tongue unless you're planning on using it, love," he warned and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Who said I wasn't?" she threw back, making Draco smile as well. Then he disappeared again and Hermione relaxed, eyes on the door for quite a while after he was gone.  
  
Draco closed the door behind him and kept his smile as he thought about Hermione. He made his way casually to the bathroom and proceeded to take an extremely cold shower. Draco only stayed in about ten minutes, wanting to be there if Hermione's pain came back. He dressed himself in baggy jeans and a black t-shirt, then ran a comb through his hair before exiting the bathroom. Draco decided to check on Hermione before he called Pomfrey, just so he would have updated information to report. He opened the door to see Hermione, laying down again, eyes closed.  
  
"Draco? Did you call the nurse?" she asked when she heard the door squeak, not otherwise moving.  
  
"No, not yet Hermione," he said, assuming she was asking because she hoped he hadn't. What she said next scared him. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she tried to speak, teeth clenched.  
  
"Could you go do that, please?" she asked; obviously something was wrong. Draco was scared; his eyes widened and he hurried over to her.  
  
"Hermione?" he said, extreme worry showing in his voice. Draco noticed she was holding her stomach and shaking slightly, but that did the opposite of easing his fear.  
  
"Please..." she pleaded. Draco practically ran back out to the common room, stopping to throw some powder in the fire. The head of Madam Pomfrey appeared a moment later, looking alarmed.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy? Is everything alright?" she asked. Draco dropped to his knees in front of the fire and tried to explain as calmly as possible.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey, it's Hermione. She woke up, evidently in pain, but wouldn't let me call you. She slept for another hour and seemed fine, but now she's not again. Dumbledore told us not to leave until he came back, and he hasn't. What do I do?" Draco asked, sounding desperate.  
  
"Oh dear.... stay calm, Mr. Malfoy. I'll be right up; do not leave your quarters," she said and her head swirled away. Draco jumped up and ran back through the door of his room, then directly to Hermione's side. Hermione was, of course, still in bed, but was now on her side, curled into a ball, arms around her middle. Draco dropped to the floor beside her and immediately began to comfort her.  
  
"Hermione, I'm here," he told her and wrapped his arm around her. She was shaking and rocking a bit back and forth, the tears returning to stream down her face. Draco kissed her and took her hand in his. "It's alright, love, I've called her, she's coming. You'll be alright, I promise," he told her gently. Hermione was breathing a little hard as she spoke.  
  
"I love you, Draco," she whispered, just as Madam Pomfrey knocked on the portrait. Draco kissed Hermione quickly on the forehead and spoke back while standing.  
  
"I love you too, Hermione. I have to go let the nurse in, I'll see you in a few minutes, alright?" Hermione nodded and squeezed herself tighter, letting out a whimper of pain that, to Draco, sounded all too familiar. He stood and ran back to the portrait just as Madam Pomfrey knocked again.  
  
Draco opened the door as soon as he got there and Pomfrey came straight in, her black medi-witch bag in one hand. She didn't even acknowledge Draco as she flew past him and headed straight for Hermione's room.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey!" Draco called, stopping the witch, "She's in my room," he said and pointed. Pomfrey looked a bit suspicious for a moment, as expected. "It's not what it sounds like, and I'd love to explain, but there IS the matter of my girlfriend in evident agony, so if you wouldn't mind?" he said, a bit disrespectful.  
  
"I understand that you are worried, Mr. Malfoy, and will not hold that against you. Stay out here, please," she said and slipped into his room. Draco opened his mouth in protest but she was gone before he could formulate the words.  
  
So, for the next hour, Draco paced across the common room like an expectant father. All he could think about was Hermione, running each worse-case- scenario in is head. **What if she really is sick? I should have called the nurse before, it's my fault if she's hurt. What if it's worse than it looks? What if she... if she... I can't even think it,** he thought and tried to push the terrible possibilities away. Draco had to be optimistic, for the sake of his sanity. **She's been in there an hour, what the hell is taking so long?** he thought and plopped down in one of the chairs, nervously drumming his fingers on the arm. Draco ran a hand through his hair and tried to think about something else. This task was, understandably, incredibly difficult, and Draco soon gave in and let his thoughts once again settle on Hermione.  
  
Draco tried to think happy, not focusing on what was happening behind the door labeled Head Boy. He thought about their trip to Seattle, how she seemed to love every minute of it, even when they were stuck in traffic in the back seat of a taxi cab. He unconsciously smiled when he remembered the look on her face as she tasted that god awful coffee, then as he gave her the ring. Draco had never seen her look so happy has the moment he had opened the little black box and said the words that bound them together. The words that made him hers.  
  
He was suddenly overcome with a desperate need to see her, kiss her, and make sure that she was still there. He sighed and continued to play the memory in his head; the trip to the Weasley's, and then the manor. His mother had been very nice to Hermione and he was glad, but deep down Draco felt that she had only approved of his relationship with Hermione because she knew his father wouldn't have. Draco wasn't worried; something told him meeting Hermione must have taken away all bad feelings Narcissa may have had for her, and he was content in believing that feeling.  
  
The chime from the little town clock on the mantle brought Draco back to reality and sent through him a wave of memories, followed by a bolt of worry and a lesser of guilt. **Three o'clock. If I don't get some answers soon, I'm going to explode. It's that simple**  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
After about five more minutes, Madam Pomfrey opened the door and exited the room, followed by Hermione, who was floating upright about three inches off the ground. Draco literally jumped out of his chair and spun to face them. Hermione looked as she had when he hand brought her the cup of tea, although a little annoyed. Draco couldn't help but feel a little better; at least she wasn't in pain. The nurse hurried across the common room, heading for the portrait.  
  
"I must leave you here for a moment, Hermione. I'll be right back to collect you," she told the floating girl, then looked to Draco, but he was unable to read her expression. Hermione nodded and the woman exited the room, but left the door slightly open to allow reentry. As soon as she was gone, Hermione spoke.  
  
"Come here, Draco. I can't move," she said and he hastily obeyed.  
  
"You're on a first name basis with Pomfrey? Wait, what am I saying? What's wrong? How do you feel? And what does she mean, 'collect you'?" he asked, all questions in quick succession. Hermione smiled and took a semi-deep breath, preparing to answer them all.  
  
"Evidently, although I don't think she'd like it if I started calling her 'Poppy', I don't know, she won't tell me, perfectly fine, and she's making me go to the damn hospital wing," Hermione said, answering all of his questions respectfully. Draco smiled and Hermione did the same.  
  
"That's not so bad; at least you feel better, right?" he said, but Hermione's short-lived smile dropped.  
  
"Draco, you can't come with me," she said, looking down. Draco was shocked for a moment, then looked as if he might actually explode.  
  
"What?" he said quietly, sounding hurt and betrayed as well as angry. Hermione snapped her head back to him sharply.  
  
"Draco," she said, placing a hand on his cheek, "It's not like I don't want you there. Pomfrey won't let you come until Dumbledore says you can leave the quarters; I already asked her."  
  
"But Hermione, I can't sleep without you," he whispered. Hermione smiled and kissed him, a good, deep kiss; made for a goodbye neither wanted.  
  
"Hopefully I'll be back before you have to try," she whispered back as she began to float toward the portrait.  
  
"I'll come the minute he says I can, Hermione. I promise," he told her and Hermione nodded with a smile. Pomfrey opened the portrait enough for Hermione to get through and Hermione blew Draco a kiss before she disappeared through the crevice and was gone.  
  
A/N DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUN! What will happen now? What's wrong with Hermione? We still don't know what's up with Snape.... and why the HELL didn't Draco just go call the nurse, even though Hermione said not to? Why am I asking questions I already know the answer to? Haha, nope, not telling. Maybe I should go whisper to a cabby.  
  
P.S. Sorry this took so long to get out, ff.net was being a booger and wouldn't let me on!  
  
PRF:  
  
JoeBob1379: Thanx, and yeah; I thought that was a cute touch.  
  
Cinnamon-eyes: Thanx, and here we go!  
  
Meggiebaby81: Thanx for your praise, and thanx for your support! I don't want a conspiracy against this Lirawen girl, though.... lol, she's annoying enough already. Oops, did I just write that? I think I did....oh well, can't change it now ;O)  
  
Karly: You want to know what I think? DO IT NOW!  
  
Starry Skies: Haha, mutated gerbils! I feel almost bad that everyone is ganging up on Lirawen, yes she was a little harsh, but she was just giving an opinion. Oh well... this being mean thing is too much fun! Yeah! Hm... I don't know, why don't we FIND OUT!  
  
Hannah Grey: Yes, did I say something about legs? Oops. Oh well; that's later. Chappy 33, hehe... anyway... thanx for reading and what not, and I appreciate your review. I'm glad you feel me, man. Lol. 60's lingo....whoa boy.  
  
Hasapi: You're always so nice to me! Aw, shucks! Lol.  
  
Nikki: it's funny you say that, because Draco and Hermione have a conversation about that later on; lol... sort-of.... hehe, it's just a coinkydink I tink.  
  
Lirawen: Alright, I see that this juvenile display of arrogance is not going to end with me having the last word, and I accept that. If you need to be the last one "laughing" as this ends, that's totally fine. If, as you say, 'insulting' you isn't going to get you to go away... how about ignoring you? Will that work? Let's try that, shall we? Yeah. Oh, and I apologize for the conspiracy. It was not my doing, these minions brought it together on their own. ::tear:: I'm so proud of them... :sniff:  
  
Purplerks: Yeah, sorry this took so long... I had time/net problems. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
And to Xia, if youre reading this, although I don't think you are, About your review to My Precious Empty Space (My other fic, check it out if you would, it's really short... only one chapter... worth reading) J/FYI, Xia, The song I used is from like 1970. I KNOW that it's not like that now, and it wouldn't be like that if it was a correct time line, but I never said in the fic what year it was.... I could have had them livin in the seventies if I wanted.... and the fic was inspired by the song, so I had to go along with the lyrics. If you read them, you would know that it clearly says that his fiancée was forced to stay behind. At least I made Hermione pregnant, which is an excuse. Firstly, you can't go to war when you're pregnant, and personally, if I had just had a baby and my husband was off at war, I wouldn't take the chance of getting both of us killed and having no parents for our child... but maybe that's just me. Maybe I have primitive, antifeminist values....but if you don't agree, I'm going to have to call you a tad bit inhumane. Thank you for your time, although you will probably never read this. 


	29. The Definition of Endearment

Disclaimer: I swear by the moon, the inconstant moon, that I do not own any of this story....except everything except the stuff you recognize from the series.... or something confusing like that. Just don't sue me! I don't have any money anyway! I have to search the cafagymatorium's floor for lunch money! Haha, okay, maybe not, but...  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: The Definition of Endearment  
  
Draco didn't know what to do. The second Hermione left, it felt as if everything good in the world had been burned to black ash. He tried to be rational; **She's fine; at least I know where she is...it could be worse,** he told himself, but Draco didn't know how it could feel worse. He felt alone and... empty, as if the part of him that mattered had shriveled up and blown away, leaving a gaping hole behind.  
  
Draco wanted badly to run, but he wasn't allowed out and the common room was too small to do it adequately. Instead, he did the exact opposite. Draco laid down on the rug in the common room and closed his eyes, letting his thoughts of Hermione resume, but it wasn't long before he had to stop and restart. For a while, he was content with thoughts of her with Lucifer, re-envisioning the incredible feeling he had gotten when he walked in with Fristy and had seen her there with the little elf. After that, though, the memories were too painful to relive.  
  
Instead, he skipped to yesterday afternoon; her face when she saw him covered in snow, her laughter and happy shrieks as he picked her up, and the elegant way she lounged in the snow. **She's too perfect for her own good,** he thought as his mind played the scene in front of his eyelids. Mistakenly, Draco's thoughts drifted over Snape, and his blood seemed to boil with anger. He just didn't see how someone could cause pain to a creature so wonderfully beautiful and perfect as Hermione Granger. Something wise stopped him from realizing how hypocritical that statement was coming from him, as well as the fact that he really didn't want Snape to think Hermione was wonderfully perfect and beautiful.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Just then, there was a knock at the portrait door. Draco jumped up and bolted to it, hoping and praying that it was Dumbledore to tell him he could leave. He thrust the door open and nearly screamed at who he saw behind it.  
  
"Snape," Draco said in disgusted acknowledgment.  
  
"Malfoy. Sorry to hear about your mudblood," the professor said, not sounding at all sorry. Draco couldn't say what held him back from attacking, but he forced himself to remain relatively calm, and ignored the remark.  
  
"She's in the hospital wing, Snape. She didn't die," he informed him through clenched teeth. Snape smirked at his obvious rage and shrugged.  
  
"Pity, that," he said in his uncaring drawl. Draco impulsively slammed the door in Snape's face, unable to even look at the greasy potions master for another moment.  
  
Then Draco spun and walked straight through the common room, his own room, and onto the balcony, despite the heavy drops that fell around him. He needed to get as far away from Snape as possible, so he stood there, grasping the railing and breathing hard from anger, until the rain made him shudder and Draco realized that he wouldn't be able to hear a knock at the door if someone were to come.  
  
Draco stepped inside his room again and looked slowly around, taking in everything. His roaming gaze stopped as his eyes fell upon the half empty teacup on Hermione's bed-table. He smiled at the thin pink smudge that must have come from her lip balm, then frowned.  
  
"You leave me hanging on, only to catch my breath. I got you and I got nothing left, don't leave me all alone down here, with myself and all of my fear. I'll be fine as long as you don't leave, if you're here that's good enough for me," he softly sang out loud, once again quoting what had been deemed 'their band'. Draco hated that isolating feeling she left behind when she was gone; he had to see her. He got up and stomped arrogantly into the common room, grabbing a handful of sparkling powder. Almost instantly, Draco was faced with none other than Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy? Is there a problem?" he asked, evidently not knowing why the boy would be calling him.  
  
"Professor, would it be possible for me to leave my quarters anytime in the near future?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Why, of course, Mr. Malfoy. I sent Professor Snape almost an hour ago to tell you; did he not give you the message?" the old man said, raising an eyebrow. Draco's jaw dropped. **Son of a bitch...**  
  
"Snape was here, but he never told me I could leave!" he practically yelled in outrage.  
  
"Well, perhaps if you'd given him a chance before shutting the door in his face, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore suggested, looking warningly.  
  
"He brutally insulted Hermione; twice!" Draco said, holding up two fingers. "Snape's lucky I didn't rip OFF his face."  
  
"Now, now, Mr. Malfoy. I've told you that you may go, so go. Miss Granger is probably wondering where you are; I had Poppy tell her when to expect you," he said and made a shooing motion with his disembodied hands.  
  
"Thank you, Sir," Draco said and bolted out of the common room without another thought. He started running when his feet hit the hallway and didn't stop until he was outside the infirmary doors. He forced himself to wait and catch his breath before continuing into the room. When he was satisfactorily composed, Draco entered the hospital, eyes searching for a familiar lump. His gaze stopped on the bed in the far corner; he'd know those curves anywhere; it was most defiantly Hermione.  
  
Not really caring where Pomfrey was, Draco walked slowly up to her bed; she was laying with her back to him on her side and Draco couldn't tell if she was in pain, asleep, or neither until he got closer.  
  
"Hermione?" he called softly as he rounded her bed. Hermione, who was awake and reading some sort of magazine, smiled excitedly as she looked up at him.  
  
"Draco," she said happily and moved to sit up. Then her smile dropped and she turned to look at the doors, making sure Pomfrey wasn't listening. When she was sure the nurse was not eves-dropping, she turned back to Draco. "Wait, where the bloody hell have you been? Pomfrey said you'd be here an hour ago," she said, somewhat hurt and sad.  
  
"I know love, I'm unbelievably sorry; Snape misunderstanding," he told her and leaned down for a kiss. Hermione kissed back, then smiled as Draco sat in the chair conveniently placed next to the bed.  
  
"Do me a favor?" she asked and Draco looked up expectantly.  
  
"Anything, Hermione."  
  
"Never say the word Snape three seconds before you kiss me again," she asked and he chuckled.  
  
"Done," Draco agreed.  
  
"Now, explain to me this 'misunderstanding'," she demanded. Draco smirked before answering.  
  
"Actually, I stopped down in the Great Hall to be seduced by forty hott Bubble Tramps," he said.  
  
"I see. And where does Snape fall into this? Was he one of these hott Bubble Tramps?" she asked with a smirk. Draco almost shuddered and Hermione laughed. Draco smiled; she was laughing.  
  
"Hey, do you want me to tell you or not?" he asked and Hermione nodded. Draco explained what had happened with Snape, but purposely didn't tell her what Snape had said; there was no need to get her upset. Hermione understood and wasn't angry, making Draco feel much better. "So, how are you, love?" Hermione's smile dropped and Draco was scared for a moment.  
  
"I don't know; Pomfrey won't tell me. I know she knows, but she won't say. It's rather frustrating, actually," she said and crossed her arms. Draco smiled; for some reason, ignorance was comforting. He was about to reassure her, but was interrupted as Madam Pomfrey stomped down the alleyway between the rows of beds. Both Draco and Hermione looked up at her as she approached them.  
  
"Hello again, Mr. Malfoy. Miss Granger, please lay back down," she said as she came up to the bed. Hermione rolled her eyes and obeyed. "Take this potion and stay in bed," she said to Hermione, handing her the potion, then looked to Draco, "Keep her there Mr. Malfoy, or I'll have your head as well," she warned. Draco smiled.  
  
"Yes, Madam," he said. Pomfrey looked suspiciously from Draco to Hermione, then she turned away and stomped back down the aisle. Draco smiled at Hermione and she laughed. She held up the little green vile and smirked at him.  
  
"I TOLD you she'd just make me go to sleep," she said smartly. Draco smiled and shrugged.  
  
"It's better than being doubled over in pain, isn't it?" he asked and Hermione frowned and shrugged, looking away.  
  
"I've felt worse," she said and Draco leaned in to kiss her forehead. Hermione smiled and took his hand before downing the green liquid. Draco squeezed her palm, no longer smiling; he knew he hadn't been the only one to get a Crucius that night with Percy, but he didn't know what else she had been through. She was a lot stronger than she looked.  
  
For the first time, Draco actually realized the possibilities of what Hermione could have been subjected to. Never had he needed her more than now and needed to be there for her in return.  
  
"Hey," she said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Are you okay?" she asked when he looked at her. He smiled, loving her more in that instant that he probably ever had. Draco pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly.  
  
Hermione leaned over to kiss him and Draco rushed to meet her lips, knowing what she wanted and not wanting her to move too much. Draco kissed her good and hard, wanting to more than anything. When they broke away, Hermione smiled.  
  
"Does this scene look familiar, Romeo?" she asked as she laid back on the bed. Draco smiled.  
  
"Other than the fact that I'm not dead and that wasn't poison, yes it does fair Juliet." Hermione smiled.  
  
"We don't know it wasn't poison. The way it tasted, I wouldn't argue," she said and took a deep sigh. "Maybe I'm not going to sleep; I certainly don't feel like it." Draco shrugged.  
  
"Maybe she really does know what she's doing," he suggested. Hermione smiled and placed a hand casually on her stomach. Draco looked at it in fear, then turned his gaze up to Hermione. "Are you feeling alright, love?" he asked, a little more worried than he had been a moment ago.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," she said in a carefree tone that eased Draco's worry. He sighed and relaxed back in his chair, squeezing her hand. Draco's eyes drifted around the room and he smiled as they landed on the bedside table. He picked up the magazine than lied there and held it up for Hermione to see, then rose an eyebrow and smirked.  
  
"Teen Witch Weekly? I never saw you as a teenage anthem, Hermione." She smiled and shrugged.  
  
"I'm not usually; I was desperate. It was either than or that damn moth- eaten Quidditch Quarterly," she said and smiled widely. "Oh my god, you have GOT to read this," she said and snatched the magazine away. Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure that I do. And just so you know, in your shoes, I would have chosen the same thing." Hermione laughed and brushed a piece of hair from her eyes as she flipped through the pages. She smiled as she found what she was looking for.  
  
"Well, I had to do SOMEthing while I waited for you. Here, read this," she said, pointing. "I swear it's entirely coincidental." Draco looked suspicious, but took the magazine and looked at the page she indicated.  
  
"Hogwarts Hear-say? We have our own section?" he asked, seeing the headline. Hermione nodded.  
  
"Every school does. Read the question, there," she said with a wide smile and pointed. "You'll die," she laughed. Draco looked where she pointed and read the article out loud.  
  
"Dear Witch Weekly Editors, I have a huge crush on my Potions master, but I have a boyfriend. Can you help me find a way to get over him before I graduate? - Anonymous 7th year," he read and looked up at Hermione with wide eyes. "Snape is the only potions master," he stated and Hermione nodded, shaking with silent laughter. "You didn't," he accused in deep disbelief. Hermione stopped laughing and turned on her side to face him.  
  
"No, of course not," she said, "That's why it's so damn funny; I swear I didn't send that in," she said, propping her head on her elbow.  
  
"So some girl in 7th year actually has a crush on Snape?" he asked as the humor finally got to him.  
  
"Unless it's someone playing a joke; yes. But that's not all; read the advice they gave," she insisted. Draco turned happily back to the magazine.  
  
"Make a list of pros and cons for your boyfriend and one for the Professor. (The fact that he is a teacher and you're a student should count for at least five cons). This should help you decide between them. When your boyfriend wins (which he will; we know Professor Snape) try to focus all of your emotions on him and away from that slimeball of a wizard. Good luck, and just so you know, we pity you. Greatly," Draco read, laughing hysterically by the end. "Did they jus insult Snape? In print... three times? That's hilarious!" he said. Hermione was laughing as well, but not nearly as hard; she was focusing on how good it sounded to hear Draco do so.  
  
"I told you," she reminded him.  
  
"Miss Granger! Mr. Malfoy! Please calm yourselves, or I will be forced to separate you," Pomfrey threatened from an undisclosed location somewhere in the hospital wing.  
  
"Sorry Madam Pomfrey," Draco called and looked to Hermione, who was pretending to look scared. He smiled and leaned over to kiss her. It was originally intended to be a short kiss, but Hermione had different plans; she was quick to wrap her arms around him and pull Draco closer, bringing their lips together again. Draco seemed happy enough and took over, leaning in so that she was laying on her back again and kissing her hard.  
  
Hermione tried to kiss him back, but Draco was hardly letting her, doing most of the work himself. When they finally broke apart, both were a little breathless. Draco stayed close for a minute, then kissed her lips very lightly and pulled away, sitting back in the chair. He took Hermione's hand again and she smiled.  
  
"You probably shouldn't kiss me like that, you know. I could be contagious; it's my fault if you get sick," she said, then added quickly, "I'm not saying I didn't like it, Drakkie-po," giving his hand a squeeze. Draco smiled and brought her hand to his lips.  
  
"I'll take my chances," he said, then paused for a moment before speaking again. "Why do you insist on calling me that?" he asked with a small pout. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Because it irritates you. Alright, fine I'll stop. It's verbal plagiarism anyway; that's Pansy's. I have to think of my own embarrassing nickname for you," she said with a smirk. Draco sighed, not even planning to bother with talking her out of it.  
  
"If you must, Mia," he said and Hermione smiled wider.  
  
"Mia? Where'd that come from?" she asked and Draco smiled, then shrugged.  
  
"If you get a nickname for me, I get one for you. Hermione, Maya, Mia," he explained. She smiled again.  
  
"Am I missing the hidden embarrassment aspect there?" she inquired, letting the name run through her head. She could live with that; she could even like it.  
  
"I think I've already embarrassed you enough to last a lifetime, love," he said seriously. Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Well, that was malicious embarrassment. This is fun embarrassment," she pointed out with a smile.  
  
"What, you don't like it? I can try and think of something else..." Draco suggested, but Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, you know what? I do like it," she told him and Draco smiled. "I'll let you know when I think of one for you. Until then, we can stick with Drakkie- po," she said and Draco smirked evilly.  
  
"Think fast, love," he warned. Hermione laughed. They were quiet for a moment and Hermione looked curiously at Draco, her eyes seeming a little worried.  
  
"Draco, are you alright? Have you even eaten anything today?" she asked, taking her hand from his and reaching it up to his face, letting her fingers glide gently over his hair. Draco just smiled.  
  
"I'm not worried about me, Mia. I'm worried about you," he told her and Hermione smiled at the cute new nickname. Then she sighed a little and let her hand fall back down.  
  
"You didn't answer me, Ace," she said and Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Ace?" he asked with an incredulous smile. Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Work in progress," she explained. "...and you still haven't answered me." Draco sighed happily in defeat.  
  
"No love, I haven't eaten, but yes, I am fine. So who are the other five?" he asked.  
  
"What?" Hermione momentarily forgot about his eating habits and now was focusing on his strange question.  
  
"Well, Ace is eleven. I'm trying to think of the other ten," he said and started naming off his fingers. "Snape, Viktor, Evan, Herm, and Bubble Boy. Who else? Oh wait, Harry and Ron, so that's seven; I'm missing three."  
  
"You know, Draco, Ace means one too," she pointed out. Draco smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm not that lucky. Your dad would probably be in there... oh, and Lucifer. So who's the last one? I give up; I can't think of anyone else," he said, looking away thoughtfully. Hermione smiled, **Let's play dirty, shall we?**  
  
"Neville," she said suddenly. Draco looked quickly to her face, a little surprised. "What can I say? He's been my potions lab partner for six years; I've grown attached to the poor guy. Once literally; binding potion plus explosion usually won't have good results," she explained and Draco smiled, although a little crookedly; jealousy obviously on the rise. "No Ace, you can't be jealous of Neville. I don't know if you've noticed, but Gryffindor and Slytherin have had potions together for the last century. You could've been my lab partner; I would have let you," she pointed out and Draco smirked.  
  
"Yeah right you would have let me; Harry and Ron would have killed you," he said, defending his emotions and taking her hand again.  
  
"Only after they killed you, but it doesn't matter. You're still not allowed to be jealous of Neville. I don't really even like him that much; he's nice, but his insecurity is kind of annoying... I think I did it out of pity," she said, looking to the ceiling.  
  
"Did WHAT out of pity?" Draco asked, eyes full of forbidden jealousy. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back to him.  
  
"Screwed him on Snape's desk after class," she said with heavy sarcasm and Draco squeezed her hand. "I was his lab partner Draco, that's all and that's enough. Ow," she said and he released his grip immediately.  
  
"Sorry Mia," he said and she smiled. Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, then smirked.  
  
"No, you know what? I've changed my mind. I like Crookshanks WAY better than Neville. Are you threatened by my cat as well?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"Hm; he DOES get to sleep in your bed... I think that's reason enough to be jealous," he told her and Hermione was quick to lash a comeback.  
  
"Hey, it's not like I'm in my bed when he is... and if you want to sleep there, we can, but I've become rather accustomed to yours." Draco smiled and kissed her cheek.  
  
"You know, we probably should watch what we say; Pomfrey could be eves- dropping," he reminded her and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Who's she going to tell who doesn't already know?" she pointed out, bring her knees up. Draco shrugged.  
  
"Good point, I think," he said with a crooked smile. "Oh god, here she comes again," he said through his smile, not moving his mouth. Hermione giggled and Draco smirked. "Shh, don't laugh Mia... we'll be separated," he reminded her, mocking warning. Hermione pretended to be scared again, then made a zipping motion over her lips.  
  
"Hello Madam Pomfrey," she said politely as the medi-witch came into view.  
  
"Hello Hermione. I've brought you another potion. This one may put you to sleep, but only for an hour or so. You should really be resting anyway," she said, shooting Draco a glare and handing Hermione a purple vile. Hermione sighed and took it.  
  
"Am I going to have to spend the night here, Madam Pomfrey?" she asked, sounding unhopeful.  
  
"I'm afraid so, dear," the nurse answered, sounding regretful herself.  
  
"May I stay as well?" Draco jumped in. Hermione looked eagerly at Pomfrey as well as Draco; both teens sporting pleading looks.  
  
"Well..." Pomfrey began reluctantly, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Please?" Hermione begged and Pomfrey seemed to give in. She sighed.  
  
"Alright," she said and the students looked to each other with smiles. "But you are to stay in that chair or one of the other beds. I won't have any more illegitimate Malfoy children conceived in my hospital... and no kissing for at least half an hour after you take that potion, Miss Granger, or I may have to admit Mr. Malfoy as well," she said, then turned and stormed off.  
  
"Well that was rather rude," Draco said in mild surprise. Hermione looked at him with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"What does she mean, 'illegitimate Malfoy children'? Who would do that in the hospital wing?" she asked and Draco smiled sheepishly.  
  
"My parents," he said and paused while Hermione's mouth cocked open a bit in mild shock. "Remember that time last year when I got a nasty blow from a bludger and was up here for almost a month?" he asked.  
  
"Do I; Harry was really pissed off about that. Malfoy this and Malfoy that; it was all he talked about the entire time," she said and Draco looked surprised.  
  
"What? Why? Should I be scared?" he asked and Hermione laughed, but quietly.  
  
"No, because no Draco equals no Slytherin seeker and no Slytherin seeker equals no games against Gryffindor in which Harry shows off and kicks your butt; yippee, hooray, get over yourself," she explained.  
  
"Riiiiight... well, anyway, my mother came to visit me and ended up telling me all about her time at Hogwarts, and how the hospital wing hadn't changed it's crummy curtains since the night my father and she... well, you know. I'll give her a little credit; she thought I was unconscious, but you still don't say that to your kids, it's just not right." Not even wanting to get into how much she agreed with him on the sick and twisted quality of that story, Hermione just pretended it didn't bother her.  
  
"Take no offense, but it's pretty stupid to do that here. You'd have a lesser chance of being caught in the great hall," Hermione said and Draco smiled.  
  
"Evidently, they did it there too, and they did get caught here, by Pomfrey, that's now she knows," he explained. "You should take your potion, love," he reminded her.  
  
"And you should get something to eat, Ace."  
  
"I will if you will," he suggested and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Deal," she said and brought the vile to her lips.  
  
"Wait," Draco said as he stood. Hermione looked confused, but didn't drink the potion. Draco smiled a certain smile and Hermione knew what was coming. That was his 'I'm going to kiss you,' smile, and that's what he did. Draco leaned down and kissed her softly, letting Hermione take control. She took advantage of this privilege, and the couple broke away with smiles. Draco smirked. "I don't want to be admitted," he explained and Hermione kissed him quickly on the lips before letting him go. She downed the purple liquid and made a face at the horrible taste.  
  
"Ugh, that was worse than the poison," she said and Draco laughed. He kissed her forehead and smiled.  
  
"Do you want anything, love?" he asked and she smiled.  
  
"If you could bring me back something chocolate, I'd be much obliged," she answered and Draco shook his head.  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" he asked and kissed her forehead before walking back around the bed. "I won't be gone long, Mia, I promise," he told her and walked down the aisle and through the doors, looking back before leaving. Hermione smiled as he left, but the happiness was gone with him.  
  
  
  
A/N Hey, at least she's not comatose, right? I'm sure Hermione will be just fine; and as I am the one calling the shots, we all know she will be... what am I gonna do, kill off one of the protagonists? That wouldn't be wise, would it? No... it wouldn't.... thanx for reading my author's notes. I know not many people do, but I'm glad at least there are a couple people. I try not to make them long, therefore there is no reason not to. Okay, this one is getting long, so I'll stop. Sorry.  
  
PRF: Wow, there are quite a few reviews for just having posted yesterday!  
  
JoeBob1379: Thanx for asking questions, but I assure you, they will be answered in due time.  
  
Michelle: Yes, you're just going to have to wait.... I'm not going to tell you. But don't worry; it's not THAT serious. Hehe.  
  
Lily Rainwater: Hm... maybe! We'll have to wait and find out, shall we? Yes! And thanx for reviewing My Precious Empty Space. I'm sorry if you didn't like the crying thing, but that was almost the point; lol. You will not believe how pathetic I am; I was like sobbing when I wrote it... it was worse than when I reread it.... so very tragic, that story! Lol, read my review for it from Xia, if you get a chance. Seems I can't write ANYTHING without someone jumping at me! Lol ::coughLirawencough:: haha.  
  
Snapegirl: Yes, I'm sorry... and yet again, this one is termed a 'cliffie' as well! HAHA!  
  
Malfoy: HAHA! Like I would tell you!  
  
Bitter Sanity: Thank you, but you are too kind! It's okay; I've been busy too... I hardly pay attention to any of my classes anymore... I just take a seat in the back and write all mod.... lol, except English. For some reason, Mdawg (my prof.) doesn't care if I don't pay attention to him. Anyone else he would..... creepy! You've BEEN on the mailing list, haven't you? Haha.  
  
Belle: I agree! What was JKR THINKING! She should have made Percy evil all along... it just fits that way.  
  
Karly: I'm sorry you were sick, and that sucks that you don't have time for writing! I wish upon you more free time! Tiempo....por nada! ::swish-and- flick:: Damn; it didn't work. I KNEW I should have taken Latin and not Spanish! 


	30. A Strawberry Scented Breath of Relief

And you whisper up to me in your life of tragedy, but I cannot grow, till you eat the last of me, oh, when will I be free? And you, a parasite. Just find another host, just another fool to roast, cause you... my tapeworm tells me what to do.(System of a down, needles) You guys are my tapeworms; telling me to write all the time! Well, here's what you get for that! vvvvvv  
  
  
  
CHAPTER THRITY: A Strawberry Scented Breath of Relief  
  
Draco started to walk to the great hall, a smile on his lips and relief in his heart. Hermione was seemly fine, and that was all he could hope for. About half way there, he decided to run. Usually he only ran when he was angry, but now he was just doing it for fun. Draco made it to the icy lobby in seemly no time and paused to catch his breath and once again admire Hermione's handiwork. He smiled as he remembered the day before and their hours of decorating, then entered the great hall. To his surprise, but not disappointment, Draco found the great hall meagerly occupied. Dumbledore and McGonagall sat at the head table, talking and having a late dinner. The two teachers looked up when they heard Draco enter and smiled almost simultaneously.  
  
"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said as he took a step in, "Do join us for dinner." Draco smiled and approached the head table.  
  
"Thank you, Sir," he said and seated himself beside the old man.  
  
"It's rather late for your usual evening meal, is it not, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked as Draco spread some pumpkin butter on a slice of bread.  
  
"Indeed it is, Sir. I wouldn't have come at all, really, but Mia forced me," he explained. Dumbledore smiled, but McGonagall looked a bit confused.  
  
"Mia? Don't tell me you have ANOTHER stow-away in the castle, Mr. Malfoy," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"No, of course not, Professor. I meant Hermione. Sorry; habit," he explained and she smiled.  
  
"Oh, yes, and how is Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked. Draco sighed a little.  
  
"She seems fine, but Madam Pomfrey won't tell us what's wrong or let her leave. She's letting me stay with her, though, so it can't be too bad," he told them and both teachers smiled and nodded reassuringly.  
  
"I'm sure she will be perfectly fine, Mr. Malfoy; you needn't worry. Miss Granger is in good hands," the old man assured him, sounding very wise and convincing.  
  
"Thank you, Sir. I apologize for my brief appearance, but I should get back to the hospital wing. When Hermione's condition changes it does so dramatically and I'd like to be there if something happens," Draco added, grabbing an apple and slipping it into his pocket.  
  
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said and Draco turned, then jogged back to the doors.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione watched Draco leave with a smile, but it fell when he was gone. She kept her gaze on the doors for a moment, then sighed and closed her eyes. Looking wearily at the empty vile, still laced with a few drops of purple poison, she smiled, thinking of the Seattle trip and the time he called her Juliet.  
  
Her eyes grew heavy and Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to stay awake until Draco returned. It was strange to go to sleep without him there, and Hermione was almost surprised that she could even accomplish it.  
  
He would be gone for at least half an hour and Hermione didn't kid herself; she would be forced into sleep within minutes. Instead of battling herself, Hermione gave into the potion and closed her eyes, trading Draco-clad thoughts for Draco-clad dreams. He would be there when she woke up; might as well bring him back faster.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco left the great hall, half a pumpkin butter sandwich in his hand, and veered into a semi-familiar corridor. He hurried along, munching on his handheld meal, and didn't stop until he found himself in front of the kitchen portrait. Draco went through the pear tickling ritual and was warmly greeted as the door swung open to reveal a kitchen full of house- elves.  
  
"Master Draco!" Dobby called as he recognized the tall intruder.  
  
"Hello Dobby, I told you not to call me that," Draco reminded him with a friendly smile and Dobby blushed.  
  
"Dobby is sorry sir. What can Dobby get for Mr. Draco?" he asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"I am here at the request of Hermione; do you have any chocolate?" he said with a mediocre laugh. A large smile spread across the little man's face and he practically jumped up and down.  
  
"For Hermione? Yes, just a moment, Sir," Dobby said and spun. He, literally, ran- deeper into the kitchens- and came back in minutes with a large box. Draco shook his head with a smile.  
  
"Thank you, Dobby. You're too kind," he told the elf as he took the box. Dobby smiled.  
  
"Anything for Hermione, Sir," he said. Draco smiled and sighed semi- happily.  
  
"It's Draco, and I agree wholeheartedly," he said and waved his sandwich as he exited the kitchens, carrying the box in his other hand. Dobby waved in return and Draco closed the door, pausing a moment before turning on a course to the hospital wing. What he had said to the professors was starting to get to him; what if something DID happen while he was away? Draco couldn't run; not with the box, but he wanted to. Forgetting the half eaten sandwich, Draco concentrated on getting back to Hermione, walking as quickly as he could without dropping anything.  
  
When he arrived at the hospital wing, Draco moved immediately to open the door, but was stopped by a small note spell-o-taped to the glass.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy,  
  
I have gone to run an errand. Miss Granger is asleep; if you wake her, I just might be admitting you after all.  
  
Madam Pomfrey"  
  
At first, Draco just re-read the note and cursed the nurse for threatening him, but then he thought of something and his eyes widened. **You left her there alone; what the hell were you thinking!?** he screamed in his head, heart pumping subtle fear through his body. Draco opened the doors, as fast as he could without making noise, and entered. He set the box and sandwich on the closest bed and practically ran to Hermione's curtain enclosed cubical. Draco moved the curtain away slowly, still trying not to make too much noise. He brought his eyes to Hermione's sleeping form and sighed in relief when he saw that she was there, and fine.  
  
Once sure she was alright, Draco relaxed his gaze and noticed the sneering man who occupied his chair. He felt the rage come up like vomit and the hatred burn across his scalp.  
  
"Why are you here, Snape?" he asked in an angry whisper. Snape just smirked evilly, glad he had angered the boy.  
  
"I'm babysitting the girl, Malfoy, what does it look like I'm doing? Visiting?" Snape replied, spitting the last word out like poison. The professor stood and Draco took a protective step closer to Hermione. "Now that you're here, I can finally leave. I thought you'd never return," Snape complained, much unlike him.  
  
"I've only been gone for fifteen minutes, Snape," he informed him, a smirk playing on his lips.  
  
"That's fifteen minutes of my day wasted," he said and stepped past Draco, robes billowing behind him as he burst through the hospital doors. Hermione made a small peep as the noise startled her awake. Draco, who had been watching Snape leave with anger in his cold eyes, turned to her with concern and hastily attempted to calm her.  
  
"No Mia, go back to sleep," he whispered and ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek. Hermione, who hadn't actually opened her eyes, smiled at his touch.  
  
"Draco..." she said dreamily and Draco smiled.  
  
"Shh..." he whispered. Hermione sighed and settled back into a sweet slumber, now reassured by Draco's presence. When she was asleep again, Draco reseated himself in his chair and moved it closer to Hermione's bed, taking her hand in his and leaning against the old hospital mattress.  
  
For forty-five minutes, Draco just watched the girl who was angelically lost in somewhere closer to Narnia than Hogwarts and finally realized how she did it. If he looked anything like she did when asleep, Draco didn't blame her for watching him. She was so incredibly beautiful that it was unbelievable. Draco had silently decided that he never had and never would see anything more fantastic than Hermione looked at that moment.  
  
(A/N: See DragonGirl! Narnia! I used Narnia!)  
  
As if she had heard the thought, Hermione smiled and Draco was proven wrong. He tried to take a deep breath, but quietly, as not to wake her. There was a span of about five minutes where all Draco did was watch Hermione and struggle to breathe. She looked so peaceful; as if nothing bad had ever happened and everything was right in the world. Then, her eyes popped open and Hermione just stared at the ceiling for a moment, her mouth falling into a frown.  
  
Hermione fluttered her eyes a bit and looked around, smiling when she saw Draco. He was sitting in his chair, pulled close with his legs under the bed; as if it were a dinner table, and had his head propped on one elbow, eyes closed and smiling. Hermione sat up stealthily and reached a hand out to touch his cheek, finger treading over his unruly hair. Draco's eyes opened immediately, followed by a warm smile, and Hermione looked even happier.  
  
"Ace," she said in greeting. Draco blinked and seemed to regain reality, but he kept his smile.  
  
"What are you doing up, Mia? Pomfrey will have my head on a stick if she finds you awake," he said and straightened himself. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I had a bad dream; it wasn't your fault," she said and Draco sighed, but didn't drop his smile.  
  
"Yes and no. More Snape's than mine. Scary as it may sound, he was here when I came back from the great hall. Pomfrey had to go do something somewhere and somehow Snape was recruited to stay with you until I came back. He lectured me for wasting fifteen minutes of his time, then stormed out and woke you enough to break the spell of the dreamless sleeping potion," he explained.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... back up. Did you just say that Snape. Was here. With me. Alone. While I was sleeping?" she asked and Draco's smile finally was broken. He nodded. "Well, who the hell's idea was THAT?" she demanded and Draco shrugged.  
  
"Not mine, I assure you. I'm meaning to talk to Pomfrey about that when she returns," he said and paused for a moment. "Mia, at least lay back down; she'll kill both of us if she finds you awake AND sitting up." Hermione rolled her eyes but laid back and slid down a little to be closer to him. Draco smiled again and leaned in to kiss her. Hermione greeted his lips gratefully and kissed back, letting the kiss get fairly deep. When he pulled away, Hermione looked at Draco with a smirk and he smiled. "What?"  
  
"Pumpkin butter is not an adequate dinner, Ace," she told him and Draco smiled.  
  
"That has got to be the most disgusting thing I've ever heard you say, love," Draco pointed out and Hermione laughed. "Oh, but that reminds me," he said and stood. Hermione looked up at him with a smile, but she felt about the opposite of happy. **Is he leaving?**  
  
Draco walked around the bed and started toward the doors. Hermione felt her heart sink, now she was sure he was leaving her alone, and for the first time wondered why she was so dependant on his company. She had spent the past six years of her life isolating herself and being quiet and closed, but now, Draco always was with her and whenever he wasn't, she felt as if something important were missing.  
  
Draco walked to the very first bed on the end of the row opposite Hermione and picked up a white box and half a sandwich. Hermione giggled and Draco smirked as he tossed it in the trash on the way back to the bed.  
  
"Compliments of Dobby and the elves of the kitchens," he said and placed the box delicately on her lap. Hermione smiled and sat up enough to comfortably open it, but paused before doing so and turned to her boyfriend.  
  
"Draco; I think we spend too much time together," she said, sounding happy, which to Draco didn't make sense. He looked at her fearfully, but Hermione was looking down and tracing her finger over the side of the box, a smile on hr face.  
  
"What are you saying, Hermione?" he asked, obviously scared. Hermione's smile didn't drop, but she looked at Draco and took a semi-deep breath.  
  
"Draco, when I saw you walk over there, I though you were leaving. Which is fine; you can leave if you want to, but I missed you before you even left. What am I going to do when classes start? We'll hardly ever see each other; that's a big change from twenty-four hour contact," she said, her grin only dropping a little. Now Draco was smiling; he had thought she meant something totally different.  
  
"Come on, Mia... we'll see each other. We'll still share a common room and the heads always have the same time-table," he assured her, along with himself. He hadn't thought that far into the future, but now that the matter had been brought to his attention, Draco was a little worried too.  
  
"Not when they're in training," she reminded him. Draco smiled in an attempt at comforting her.  
  
"That just mans we'll have to spend as much time together as possible now, doesn't it?" he said and leaned over for a kiss. Hermione gave one back gratefully and smiled.  
  
"I guess," she said and turned back to her box. She smiled and lifted the lid carefully. Draco looked in and was surprised to see a bowl of strawberries. Hermione smiled warmly and the bowl, but Draco frowned.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry love; I didn't open the box. Somehow, Dobby must have misunderstood me," Draco said, disappointed, but Hermione smiled and picked up one of the imposter berries.  
  
"No, he didn't," she said and held it out to him. "Open," she commanded, holding a hand under his chin. Draco was a bit confused, but smiled and did as she asked. Hermione smirked at his obedience and slid the strawberry into his mouth, letting her fingers brush his lips. Draco closed his mouth around the piece of fruit and kissed her fingertip as Hermione pulled her hand away. To Draco's surprise, the item placed behind his lips tasted not of strawberries, but of a rich dark chocolate. Hermione smiled as she read his happy surprise.  
  
"Good, right? It's an inside joke of sorts; the house elves have a good sense of humor," she said and placed a savory berry in her mouth. Draco finished his morsel and kissed behind her ear.  
  
There was a creek from a way away and both Hermione and Draco looked to the door. Madam Pomfrey entered quietly and attempted to sneak back to her office. Draco looked at Hermione and she smiled.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey, would you come here for a moment?" Hermione called, moving the bowl from her lap to the bed table. Madam Pomfrey only hesitated a moment before shuffling quickly over to Hermione's bed.  
  
"Miss Granger? Are you alright, dear?" she asked as she approached the bed.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, but --" Hermione began, but Pomfrey cut her off to speak to Draco.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm disappointed; perhaps it would be best if you didn't stay the night." Draco opened his mouth to defend himself, but Hermione beat him to the punch.  
  
"No, Madam, Draco didn't wake me up. Snape did," she explained and Madam Pomfrey sighed.  
  
"I knew I shouldn't have let him stay with you," she said, almost to herself. Both Hermione and Draco looked up at her in surprise.  
  
"What do you mean, 'let him stay'? You didn't ask him to?" Draco asked, almost scared. **Why would Snape want to stay with her, of all people?**  
  
"No, of course not. I was going to wait for you to return, Mr. Malfoy, but Professor Snape insisted that I go; said he didn't mind waiting for you. Rather strange, actually; Snape's not one for good deeds," she explained, lifting a chart from the wall next to Hermione's bed.  
  
"Why was he even here, Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked, not paying attention to the strawberries anymore.  
  
"I'm not sure; he just came. We got into conversation, I let slip of my errand, and he offered to sit with you," she explained and flipped a page over the clipboard. Pomfrey smiled as her eyes scanned the data before her. "You're doing very well, Miss Granger. If nothing goes wrong, you should be able to leave by late tomorrow morning." Hermione smiled and turned to look at Draco. He looked relieved and subtly excited as well.  
  
"And Draco can stay?" she asked, turning back to the nurse. Pomfrey smiled at the couple and sighed.  
  
"I don't see why not; but the rules still apply."  
  
"Of course," Draco spoke up, wanting to have a say in something.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey, what's wrong with me, anyway?" Hermione asked, shifting a little. The nurse smiled warmly and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"I'm not exactly sure, Miss Granger. You seem perfectly fine, but my guess, and Dumbledore's as well if it's any consultation, is stress. And rolling around in the snow couldn't have helped much either," she said with a warning glance at Draco. Hermione smiled.  
  
"We weren't rolling; we were lying. And we were only out there for maybe twenty minutes," she pointed out. Pomfrey laughed and took her hand from Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"Very relaxing," Draco said, trying to hide the guilt he couldn't help but feel. If the snow was what made her sick, then it was his fault. He threw her in it, after all.  
  
"Yes...well. Be expecting another potion in about an hour, Miss Granger, then I want to see you both getting along to bed," she all but commanded and took a step back.  
  
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said and the witch turned to leave, walking down the aisle and back to her office. Hermione turned to Draco, who was smiling, but his eyes shown hidden emotion. Hermione reached out and placed her palm gently on his cheek. "Hey," he she said and he smiled.  
  
"Hey," he returned. "Do you want anything, love?" Draco asked and Hermione smiled, then shook her head.  
  
"Why do you think Snape came?" she said, moving her hand from Draco's face to his palm, which was laying face up on the bed.  
  
"You don't want to know what I'm thinking, Mia," he said, trying to keep a little of his smile.  
  
"I was thinking exactly the same thing. I can't believe she left me alone with him; I feel so... dirty," Hermione said and shuddered. Draco looked up at her and squeezed her hand.  
  
"Hermione, he didn't..." Draco started, but found himself unable to finish. Hermione sighed and brought her knees up.  
  
"No, I don't think so. I would have woken up, and you weren't gone very long; he couldn't have, right?" she said, asking for reassurance.  
  
"Right," Draco said with a forced smile and leaned in to kiss her. He wasn't as sure as he sounded, but he couldn't let Hermione know that.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
True to her word, Pomfrey returned to the couple, however almost three hours later, toting a small blue vile.  
  
"How are you feeling, Miss Granger?" she asked with a smile. Hermione, who was sitting up, but leaning against an array of white hospital pillows, her knees drawn up, sighed. Together, Draco and Hermione had consumed almost half the bowl of strawberries, although Draco only allowed himself one or two more. Unlike his Gryffindor girlfriend, he had not built up a chocolate immunity due to over consumption and he couldn't take much more of the intensely rich substance.  
  
"Like I need a hot shower," she said, but with a smile. Hermione hadn't showered since the day before and hadn't really stood up either. She had eaten two meals and half a bowl of strawberries, however, which was one up on Draco, whom all day had consumed half a pumpkin butter sandwich, two or three strawberries, and less than half of the apple he had salvaged.  
  
"In due time, dear. I've brought you another potion, as promised," Pomfrey said and held the vile out to the bedridden girl, who took it rather reluctantly.  
  
"Will this taste better than the sleeping poison?" she asked, smiling as she purposely fumbled the last word. Draco smiled as well, also noticing her choice of words. He was still seated in the chair, pulled close to the bed with his legs tucked under, head propped sleepily on his elbow.  
  
"No," Pomfrey said without emotion. "Now; it's off to sleep with both of you. Eleven o'clock is late enough for the ill to remain conscious," she said sternly.  
  
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Draco said, obediently. The nurse smiled a little at both of them and turned to leave. Draco sat and dreamily watched Hermione. She smiled at him and lifted the blue vile, shaking it lazily.  
  
"What an array of colors I seem to be consuming today," she commented, then sighed. "I better take this before she goes postal on me," she said and Draco laughed shortly, made even less enthusiastic by the sleepiness he felt. Hermione looked at him expectantly, but Draco just wore a stupid smile.  
  
"What?" he asked and Hermione sighed.  
  
"Well, some boyfriend you are, Ace. Aren't you even going to kiss me goodnight? I don't want you admitted either," she said and Draco's smile switched emotions.  
  
"Of course, love," he said and stood, leaning over to kiss her potion-free lips. Hermione made sure the kiss was good, knowing it would be the last of the evening.  
  
"Mmm..." she said as it ended. "That's much better," Hermione added with a smile and Draco kissed her again, this time short and shallower (a/n: Yes, shallower is a word. More shallow is grammatically incorrect. I checked. Anyway...) . "I love you, Ace," she reminded him and Draco smiled.  
  
"And I, you, Mia," he said and kissed her one last time. "Do you want anything?" he asked as she slid down into her sleeping position of choice, curled into a semi-circle around the area where Draco's elbow now rested.  
  
"No, I'm alright." Hermione brought the blue potion to her lips and emptied the vile in one gulp. The face she made was utterly laughable. "Damn, she wasn't kidding." Draco laughed and moved in to kiss her again. Hermione curled in her lips and shook her head. "Mm-mm; I warned you."  
  
"Come one, let me share your torment," Draco pleaded with a smile.  
  
"Nope," she said, smiling wickedly. Draco sighed and moved his head down, kissing her neck.  
  
"Please?" he said as his lips lingered on her skin. Hermione reached a hand to meddle his hair and kissed his head with a smile.  
  
"Sorry," she whispered. Draco took a deep breath and sighed in defeat.  
  
"Fine," he breathed and pulled away, sitting back in his chair. Hermione yawned, already feeling the effects of the potion.  
  
"Draco, why don't you take one of the beds? You'll never get any sleep if you stay in that chair." Draco half smiled, placing his hand over hers.  
  
"I'll never get any that far away, either," he pointed out and Hermione smiled. She reached behind her for one of the unused pillows and sung it forward, hitting her boyfriend in the head. "Ow! Hey! I don't remember pillow fighting being in the job description."  
  
"Sure it was, in the fine print; next to fashion coordinator and manicurist," Hermione said with a giggle. "For you, my love," she said and leaned up to kiss his cheek. Then Hermione collapsed back onto the bed and let her heavy lids fall. Draco smiled.  
  
"Gee, thanks. Goodnight, Mia," he whispered and Hermione smiled, but didn't answer. Draco placed his head on the pillow and his hand on Hermione's.  
  
For a while, Draco just watched her sleep, once again awestruck by her beauty. As the last time, his eyes betrayed him by closing and his mind by not letting him notice. It wasn't long before he fell asleep, head on an arm curled over his pillow.  
  
A/N She seems fine... but IS she? Guess we'll have to wait and find out, won't we? And what the HELL is up with Snape? That guy is just creepy. More to come, like: forth year detention, adult 'friends', sick mental pictures, and another look at the decorations. Read ON baby!  
  
PRF:  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: No, I didn't explain why she's sick, and I didn't explain about Snape.... I just made everything even MORE mysterious! Don't worry! I have a super spiffy surprise coming up!  
  
Envision: It's not because she doesn't eat right, I'll tell you that right now... that was just an added thing to make Draco worry, hehe. You'll find out soon; she does in either the next chappy or 32, I can't remember which....  
  
Karly: I agree. French sucks. Their food sucks too; who wants to eat something with a mantle? Ew... hey, I like the plot line too! Lol... and it gets better!  
  
SnapeGirl: Soon enough? Hehe....  
  
For those of you who don't know; the reason this is up is because today was a SNOW DAY and I felt like celebrating.... so what do I do? Edit and post a chapter. Sounds like a plan! 


	31. Magic Bubbles of Green Serpentine

Disclaimer: The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend and the best way to avoid a lawsuit is to make a disclaimer.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: Magic Bubbles of Green Serpentine  
  
Morning came early for Hermione and she was glad. Waking up at her usual time helped in convincing her that she really was fine. Hermione didn't doubt that she was stressed, there was the whole Percy fiasco, plus this Snape thing, the test, and now the teaching opportunity - it was rather degrading, however. Draco had been through just as much as she had, if not more. He was constantly worried about her, was more than stressed about the premonitions, and he had seen the dreams, yet Hermione was the one waking up hours late and doubling over in pain. **And Draco though I was strong,** she thought sadly and opened her eyes to view her blonde bedmate.  
  
Draco was still seated in the chair, arms wrapped around the pillow below his head. **He's going to have a terrible back-ach when he wakes up,** Hermione though as she touched a hand to his face, brushing away the fallen hair. Draco smiled at her touch and Hermione cursed herself.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ace. Go back to sleep," she whispered lightly. For a moment, Draco seemed to be doing just that. He waited a moment, then took a deep breath and stirred. Hermione smiled; she couldn't really be upset that he was awake. Draco straightened a little, but stopped and placed a hand on his lower back.  
  
"Ow," he breathed, rubbing away the dull pain. Hermione's smile became sympathetic and she placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I told you. Are you alright?" she asked, feeling a little guilty. Draco arched his back a little and smiled.  
  
"Yes love, I'm alright," he said and relaxed. Draco leaned back in the chair and blinked his eyes open, squinting a little against the light.  
  
"Oh my god, do your eyes hurt? I got you sick didn't I? Oh! I'm sorry! Let me get Pomfrey," she said and moved to get out of bed. Draco stopped her before she could, gently grabbing her arm.  
  
"No Mia, I'm fine. Don't get up," he said, smiling. Hermione looked back at him, not sure if she could believe him. After all, she said exactly the same thing.  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked, looking closely at him. Draco had focused his eyes by now and was looking at her convincingly, a smile on his face.  
  
"Yes, love," he said and stood, then leaned over to kiss her. Hermione smiled; if he was anywhere near as sick as she had been, he wouldn't have been able to do that. "It's brighter in here than our room is in the morning, that's all," he said and kissed her again, bringing a hand to hold her face. "Alright?"  
  
"Alright," she agreed, believing him. He wasn't sore like she had been, so if he was to get sick, it wasn't now. Draco smiled and kissed her lips once more.  
  
"Why are you awake, love? It's early," he asked, looking at the simple clock on the far wall. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Early for you," she pointed out and Draco smiled.  
  
"Good point," he said with a slight shrug and sat back down, pushing the chair in, closer to the bed. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Most of my points are usually good," Hermione said smartly, smiling and brushing a hair from her face. Draco smiled and slowly walked his hand to her knee, sliding it a little up her leg.  
  
"I've noticed," he said and continued to let his hand glide over her blanketed thigh. Hermione closed her eyes and concentrated on his touch, loving every second, feeling the sick bubble of anticipation as his hand moved closer to her hips; Hermione's only regret was the layers of fabric between his hand and her skin. She curled into a tighter ball and slid deeper into the blankets, moving closer to Draco.  
  
He smiled and let his hand continue its voyage. Hermione, who still held her eyes closed, was now close enough that Draco needn't leave his chair to kiss her. He leaned close, lips choosing to caress the tender skin of her neck. Hermione made a small moan and bent her elbow to allow her hand access to Draco's hair.  
  
Draco kissed her neck repeatedly and continued his hand tract. He moved his lips finally to her jawbone, starting on a course for his ultimate destination: a return to her lips. Hermione smiled as she realized this and prepared herself for what she knew was coming. Draco's hand made it successfully to her hip and stopped there, not sure where next to go. Hermione turned her head a fraction, helping Draco's lips meet hers, although a bit prematurely.  
  
Draco didn't seem to mind this in the least, forcefully deepening the kiss and taking Hermione with him. He broke the kiss gently, going back down the jawbone trail. Hermione kept her eyes closed, one hand on his over her hip, the other rooted in his hair, moving with him as he kissed her. When Draco's lips were close to Hermione's ear again, he paused his kisses.  
  
"I want you so bad right now, Hermione," he whispered seriously, followed by a slightly ragged breath. Hermione smiled at his words; they made her feel more like popcorn than anything he had ever said to her before. She pulled back, pushing her head in to the pillow and catching his eyes with hers. Draco looked somewhat torn, eyes full of longing and love as well as foreboding.  
  
Hermione kissed him again, in a manner that suggested he not kiss back, but rather give her a chance to be a little more dominating. Draco did as she silently asked, keeping his lips limp and still. Hermione kissed him gently, letting him take in her feeling, then pulled back again with a smile.  
  
"You heard Pomfrey, Ace. 'No more illegitimate Malfoy children'," she reminded him and Draco laughed. He kissed her again and paused only for a moment, enough to speak.  
  
"Screw Pomfrey," he said and Hermione giggled while he kissed her again. She was perfectly happy with the situation until Draco moved his hand again, up her side. At first, she didn't think much of it, but then Draco stood, mid-kiss, and leaned in, pushing her back on the bed.  
  
Now Hermione was a little scared; not of Draco, but of getting caught. She pushed him away, however gently, knowing he would stop if she showed even the smallest amount of resistance, and broke away from the kiss.  
  
"Wait," she said, breathless, "...you aren't seriously thinking about it, are you? We can't, Ace," she continued, placing a hand on his face. "Not here." Draco sighed a little.  
  
"I know," he whispered, then kissed her again, but didn't make any advances. Hermione kissed back, trusting him not to do anything more. Draco managed to pull himself away from her after that final kiss, and sat back down, taking a deep breath and trying to halt his surging hormones.  
  
Hermione lay in bed, breathing a little heavily, and smiling at Draco. She held he hand that, moments ago, and voyaged to her hip, but now lay limp on the bed. Draco sat with his eyes away from Hermione, staring at nothing, frequently swallowing and licking his lips.  
  
"Draco? Are you alright?" Hermione asked, a look of curiosity on her face. Draco nearly flinched at her words, as if the sound of her voice had hurt him.  
  
"Yeah, just give me a minute," he said, not looking at her. Hermione smiled, but simply because she had nothing else she could think of to do. Draco sat there for a least two whole minutes, looking blank as his breathing slowed. Hermione watched him, concerned and curious. Then Draco smiled and turned back to her, looking as if nothing had happened at all.  
  
"Not even going to acknowledge that," she thought out-loud with a smile. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the tapping of hard bottom shoes against the stone floor.  
  
"Pomfrey," he said with a sigh and a weak smile.  
  
"Maybe she'll let me leave; or at least shower," Hermione whispered, sounding excited. Draco smiled and nodded, hoping the same thing. Surprisingly, it was not Madam Pomfrey who opened the thin hospital curtain the nurse had courteously closed around them. Hermione and Draco both turned their heads to watch as the blue shield moved to the side and exposed the visitor. "Professor McGonagall?" Hermione said in surprise.  
  
"Well, good morning to you as well, Miss Granger," the older woman said with a smile. Hermione blushed and sat up as the professor took a step closer to the bed. Draco just watched, still holding Hermione's hand, anything but threatened by McGonagall. She wouldn't hurt a fly; unless the fly had been transfigured from a certain potions master.  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor. I was expecting you'd be Madam Pomfrey."  
  
"That's quite alright dear. How are you fairing?" the smiling woman asked. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I'm fine, I don't know what Pomfrey is thinking, making me stay the night," she complained, childishly crossing her arms. "Oh! And can you believe she left Snape alone with me while I was sleeping? I think she might want to get herSELF examined."  
  
Draco looked at Hermione, mouth cocked open in shock. **Did I just hear that? Hermione Granger actually spoke to a teacher that disrespectfully?** Now he knew she was ill. As shocked as he was to hear Hermione say those words, Draco was twice as surprised to hear McGonagall laugh. Professor Minerva McGonagall, by far the strictest teacher in Hogwarts, had allowed Hermione to speak to her that way, and furthermore LAUGHED at it.  
  
"I feel for you, dear. Once, about three years ago, I had to host a detention with that horrid man. I was alone with him for four hours while Neville and six Slytherins scrubbed down the entire Astronomy tower window," she said, causing Hermione to picture sitting on the so-called 'snog sofa' with Snape and watching the students above. The extreme irony of that thought caused her to shudder.  
  
"I remember that," Draco jumped in. "I've never used that many cleaning potions in my life," he said with a laugh. Hermione looked a little confused.  
  
"There've never been so many shades of green on that window before either, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said with a kind smile. Now, Hermione looked VERY confused. Draco smiled at her.  
  
"Me, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Millicent, and some other girlfriend of Pansy's. Magic bubbles filled with green Serpentine dye, the hardest to get rid of. It wasn't pretty," he said, then smirked. "Actually, it WAS pretty... until we got caught and they made us scrub it down."  
  
"I have absolutely no trouble believing that," she told him with a smile and Draco shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Well, Miss Granger. I'm glad to see that you're feeling better. I'll talk to Albus about Snape; I'm sure he'll agree with me when I say that that man should never be alone with anyone, much less a student."  
  
"Thanks, Professor. Snape really creeps me out; especially lately. He's been acting extra evil and arrogant, especially when Draco is with me," she told her and McGonagall nodded sadly.  
  
"Yes, Snape is an incredibly disgusting man, and feel free to quote me on that." The teacher sighed. "Hermione, if he... tries anything, you'll come to me, won't you?" she asked seriously, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"Yes, of course, Professor. But I don't really think even he would do that," Hermione assured her.  
  
"Neither do I, but I wouldn't put it automatically past him. Do take care of yourself, dear. I must be going; I'll talk to Albus," McGonagall said with a smile and a wink in Hermione's direction.  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said as the teacher turned to leave.  
  
To both Draco and Hermione's surprise, McGonagall placed a hand on Draco shoulder and gave it a bit of a squeeze before leaving. The teens watched the older witch leave, then Draco turned to Hermione. She noticed that he looked even more uneasy than before and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Don't worry, Draco. She's almost as bad as Harry and Ron; extremely overprotective. Do I , like, radiate that vibe? 'I'm fragile and helpless; please put me in a magic box and carry it in your left breast pocket'?" she asked, saying the last few sentences so that her annoyance was apparent.  
  
"You're stronger than I am, Mia," he told her with a smile and gentle hand squeeze. Hermione's smile dropped a bit and she sighed.  
  
"No I'm not," she whispered. Draco squeezed her hand, but otherwise pretended not to hear her.  
  
"Hey, when did you see Snape without me? You told McGonagall that he acted weird when I was with you. When was I NOT with you; what do you have for comparison?" he asked, honestly not able to think of a time when he hadn't been there.  
  
"I had to get the Negrosphamine components sometime, Ace." Draco smiled and Hermione did the same. She took a deep breath and relaxed back into her crescent position.  
  
"Why Ace, really?" he asked lightly, keeping his smile. Hermione shrugged.  
  
"I don't really know; it just came out, I guess... but I like it," she said with a smile and looked down at her hand, clasped neatly in his. "Hey Draco, what happened to your finger? Did the burn just go away?" she asked, remembering the charred abrasion that left a tiny circular stain on their chess board. Draco's smile dwindled a little.  
  
"Hardly," he said and unclasped their hands. Draco held up his finger and proceeded to remove the tape like mask it wore, revealing a charred fingertip. Hermione's eyes widened and she looked up at him. "Spell-o- medical tape. Guaranteed to hide any burn or cut form the prying eyes of others," he explained.  
  
"Draco, that's twice as bad as it was before," she said when she realized that the burn had spread past his finger-pad. "Now I'm fixing it. There's no way I'm letting you keep that any longer."  
  
"Why not? It doesn't hurt," he told her, not looking too worried about his impaired digit.  
  
"Draco, it's eating you alive! Please let me fix it; or let Pomfrey do it," she pleaded. Draco sighed and attempted to refuse again, but was interrupted.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, what have you done to yourself?" Pomfrey asked form the curtain entrance and walked into the room. Draco sighed, knowing there was no way to convince Pomfrey into letting him keep it.  
  
"I'm alright, Madam Pomfrey," he said anyway, retracting his finger from their view. He knew it wouldn't be that easy.  
  
"Oh no you don't, young man," Pomfrey scolded, grabbing his hand and prying it back open. The nurse examined the burn for a moment, then looked form Draco to Hermione and back again. "You touched her mark, didn't you?" she asked, suspicious. Draco nodded, eyes on his finger, and Pomfrey sighed before dropping his hand.  
  
"How do you know about my curse, Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked and the nurse's expression didn't change.  
  
"Dumbledore thought it necessary to alert me in case of side-effects," she explained.  
  
"Is that a side-effect?" Draco asked, gesturing toward Hermione. Pomfrey nodded and Hermione sighed deeply.  
  
"Thank god. I knew I was stressed, but that's a little ridiculous," she said and paused. "Can you fix Draco's finger?" she asked and Pomfrey smiled.  
  
"Of course I can," she said as if it were obvious, then turned and exited the curtain again. Hermione looked over to Draco, feeling almost guilty and looking sympathetic.  
  
"I'm sorry; I had to," she explained. Draco nodded, but didn't smile. "Why do you want to keep it so badly, anyway, Ace?"  
  
"I don't know," he said, but he was lying. Draco knew that he was feeling guilty. Hermione may have blamed herself for Percy's actions, but in reality it was his fault; her love for him had almost killed her, and that burn reminded him of it. "I love you, Hermione," he told her and leaned in for a quick kiss; not sure when Pomfrey would come back. Hermione smiled and let her fingers slide through his hair.  
  
"Here we are, Mr. Malfoy," the voice of the nurse called as she walked around the curtain again. In her hand was a small bottle with a hole in its lid, the label reading something in a language neither Draco nor Hermione could identify. "Parsletongue," she said, noticing their questioning eyes. "You're dealing with dark magic, here, Mr. Malfoy," she said before taking his hand and forcefully poking his injured finger into the hole.  
  
"Ow, that's hot!" Draco exclaimed in surprise and tried to pull his finger away.  
  
"Is it, now?" Pomfrey said in something like amusement, struggling a little to keep his finger in the jar. "Hold still and it won't take as long," she continued and Draco stopped. Hermione was sitting up again, looking worriedly at Draco, who was trying not to look like it hurt. Then he relaxed and let out the breath he had been holding in a sigh that told her it was over. Hermione smiled, wanting to reach out to him, but not knowing exactly how to do so.  
  
"All done; that wasn't so bad, now, was it?" the smirking nurse said and pulled the bottle away. Draco retracted his hand immediately and held his finger enclosed in a fist. "Oh! Miss Granger. You are released," the witch started and Hermione looked ecstatically happy. "But I want you to take it easy. No more snow lounging for a while, don't run around too much, and, by all means, if you start feeling strange, I want you back here immediately."  
  
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey, and of course," Hermione tried to say as calmly as possible, hiding her excitement. Madam Pomfrey smiled at her and turned to leave, not saying anything more. Hermione turned to Draco with a smile and he smiled back, glad she was leaving, but held his finger tightly; obviously pained by it. Hermione's smile dropped a notch. "Are you alright, Ace?" she asked, reaching for his hair again. Draco smiled and nodded a little.  
  
"You get to leave, love," he reminded her and Hermione's smile brightened again. She moved to get out of bed, uncovering her legs. She stood, a little too fast for not having done so in over twenty-four hours, and placed a hand to her head as the sick sense of hurried blood flow over came her. "Mia?" Draco asked worriedly, thinking she may have had another attack. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Head rush," she explained and Draco smiled and stood. "I'm okay. Let's go, please? I don't know how much more of this hospital I can take," Hermione complained, taking the bowl of strawberries in one arm and grabbing Draco's hand. Draco smiled and followed her, not doubting she was frustrated with the current setting. Hermione was not one to spend a day sitting around and doing nothing, and that's what she had been doing for long enough to steal her sanity twice.  
  
"Whatever you want, Mia," he said as they exited her cubical.  
  
They walked past Madam Pomfrey's office without a word and slipped into the hallway. Hermione walked quickly for a while and Draco followed her quietly, smiling at her excitement. Suddenly, Hermione stopped and spun around. Draco was forced to stop as well and narrowly missed running into her.  
  
"Hey," he said and Hermione smiled. She set the bowl on the floor and took a step forward. Now close enough, Hermione simply needed to lift her head and their lips met. Draco rushed to meet her kiss, as Hermione was way ahead of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him deeper. Then Hermione took a step back, against the wall, bringing Draco with her. They kissed for a good five minutes, stopping only once or twice to catch a breath.  
  
When they broke away from the final kiss, Draco took, once again, to lightly kissing her neck. **He sure likes doing that, doesn't he? Well, I like it too...** she thought and closed her eyes.  
  
"Hermione..." Draco whispered, still kissing her. "Why do you do this to me?" he asked, but didn't expect her to answer.  
  
"I'm sorry," she told him in an equal whisper. "I can't help it." Draco smiled and stopped his kisses to look at her.  
  
"I don't think you're trying very hard," he pointed out and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I suppose that's true, "she said and giggled as she kissed his lips again. "Can we go, I really need that shower." Draco kissed her one last time and took a step back.  
  
"Yep," he said, however reluctantly. Hermione smiled and picked up her bowl before taking Draco's hand again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
When the couple had made it back to the common room, Hermione gave Draco one last kiss before moving gratefully to the bathroom. Draco sighed and sat down, having nothing better to do than wait for her. Hermione would be in there for a while; probably trying to cleanse herself of Snape. Draco felt his teeth grind and his fists clench at the thought of that filth with his precious Hermione.  
  
**Honestly, what was Madam Pomfrey thinking? Why did Snape want to stay with her, anyway? Does he really hate or, or are my fabricated suspicious correct?** Draco wondered, not wanting to dwell on Snape, but finding himself unable to do anything but. **Distraction...** he thought and smiled as his thoughts glazed back over Hermione. **Now THERE'S a distraction.**  
  
As much as he tried, Draco's thoughts of Hermione were all soiled with a glimpse of Snape. He couldn't stand it; too much was too much. Draco sighed in frustration and looked around for another distraction. The first thing he saw was Hermione's Teen Witch Weekly magazine on the end table below the bowl of strawberries. **I'm going to regret this later,** he concluded and pulled the magazine from below the bowl. He cautiously opened it, as if afraid of what he might find inside.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione, as expected, spent about a half an hour in the shower. She just stood there for a majority of the time, eyes closed, imagining the aura of Snape being drowned away; sliding away from her and down the drain where it belonged. Hermione shuddered, despite the piping hot water than rained over her. Thinking of Snape while she was in this exposed was not something Hermione wanted to be able to admit to.  
  
She exited the shower, dried, and dressed all before she could think of anything, then looked up and smiled as her eyes caught her reflection. Whenever she saw herself, Hermione automatically thought of Draco. He was like a part of her; her best feature. Hermione suddenly felt an urgent need to see him, and was glad that this time she could.  
  
After hastily cleaning up her small bathroom mess, Hermione slowly opened the door, half expecting to see Draco standing there. He wasn't, however. Draco was sitting on one of the sofas, his back to her. Hermione smiled as she realized that he hadn't heard her. She silently crept up behind him and looked over his shoulder.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco had been reading the mindless dribble of the magazine for about twenty minutes when a sweet and subtle smell drifted into his vicinity. He stopped reading, but didn't look up. Draco knew what it was immediately and smiled. **Hermione...** he thought, assuming it was wafting from the bathroom. He took a quiet, but deep, breath; inhaling the sweet aroma.  
  
"I never saw you as a teen age anthem, Ace," Hermione said from over his shoulder and Draco jumped a little; he hadn't known she was there, but didn't look up from his magazine. Then, Draco smiled.  
  
"Did you know that there are sixteen spells for ridding oneself of acne?" he said calmly, just pointing out a fact. Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek.  
  
"I know seventeen," she whispered and Draco laughed, turning his head to her.  
  
"I don't doubt that, Mia," he said and kissed her. Hermione smiled when the simple kiss ended and stood straight, then let her hand slide along the back of the couch as she walked to the front; eyes on Draco. He smiled when he realized her intentions and flipped the magazine closed, moving his arm to rest on the sofa back. Hermione grinned as she sat down beside him, moving close and kissing his cheek again. She sighed happily and pulled her legs beneath her, feeling a warm tingle as Draco's arm encircled her shoulders. **God, I missed this...** she thought.  
  
"I'm glad that was all just a side-effect; I was getting a little worried. I've always been stressed, but nothing like that has ever happened before," Hermione said and placed her head on him. Draco smiled and moved his face into her hair.  
  
"So am I, love. I just hope there're no more side effects. We probably should have asked Pomfrey, really. She could have given us some warning," he pointed out, breathing deep and steady, taking in her sweet scent. Hermione was smiling, happy to just be close to him.  
  
"I don't know, I'm almost glad not to know what could happen. Ignorance is bliss," she quoted, feeling unbelievably warm and happy.  
  
"Then why aren't more people happy?" he asked smartly and Hermione giggled a bit.  
  
"Are you happy?" she asked, turning her head up to look at him. Draco smiled and gave her a quick and relaxed kiss.  
  
"I've never been so in my life, love," he told her and Hermione smiled. She resettled her head back on him and Draco kissed her hair. Hermione laughed for seemly no reason at all and Draco smiled. "What?"  
  
"I was just thinking; if three years ago someone told me that I would ever be willingly sitting this close to the one and only Draco Malfoy, I don't know whether I would have died of disgust or laughter," she said and squeezed him close.  
  
"Wow, Mia. I feel loved," he said sarcastically and Hermione giggled again.  
  
"Do you deny that you would have felt the same way?" she asked, sounding curious.  
  
"Don't, Hermione," Draco said and squeezed her a little. "Please don't make me say that," he pleaded. Hermione looked up at him, smiling against her own will.  
  
"It's okay, I know it's different now. I'm looking back and laughing; isn't that the universal goal whenever something bad happens?" Hermione said, placing a hand on his chest for comfort.  
  
"I suppose, but..." he started, but couldn't find words and sighed in frustration. "I'm sorry, Mia. I'm sorry about everything. I love you," he told her and Hermione looked up again.  
  
"No, I'm sorry. I know you don't like it when I talk about that, yet I feel the need to mention it; repeatedly. I think I just want you to know that I totally forgive you and it doesn't bother me anymore. I'm incredibly inconsiderate; I promise I'll stop." Draco smiled and kissed her.  
  
"Shh, Mia. If you're anything, it's not inconsiderate," he told her with a smile. "Let's just forget about this, alright? Do you want to go to breakfast?" he asked, not wanting to move but needing to change the subject. Hermione smiled and kissed him again.  
  
"You must be starving," she said and Draco shrugged.  
  
"I'm alright," he told her, smiling as well. Hermione sighed, but her lips didn't drop.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't say that all the time, Draco. It makes me nervous," she told him, looking into his eyes as if searching for something.  
  
"Why?" Draco asked, fairly puzzled.  
  
"Because I know you're lying," she answered and gave him another quick kiss before tearing herself away from his arms and standing.  
  
"I'm not lying, just... denying the truth," he said with a smart-ass smirk.  
  
"Oh, because that makes a world of difference," Hermione said with heavy sarcasm and rolled her eyes. Draco laughed and stood as well, kissing behind her hear. "Let's go. I'm hungry, so I can only imagine what you must feel like," she suggested and took his hand. Draco stepped around her and kissed her other ear, smiling along with her.  
  
"Alright, Mia," he agreed.  
  
  
  
A/N Yea! Hermione is out of the hop-cicle! GO MIA! I just love their little nicknames, don't you? Lol; Mia sounds like a princess and Ace sounds like a bad ass biker. Kinda like their personalities multiplied by a bazillion, haha. BIG numbers. Coming up? I'd tell you, but I want it to be a surprise. A clue? No, it does not involve butter.  
  
PRF:  
  
Tf-chica-824: Thanks! I know, Snape is MESSED! And don't worry; Mia will be fine!  
  
xing@fanfiction.net: No she's not pregnant, and no he didn't rape her. Haha. So now you DO noe, :oP. OMG, I just figured out who you were; you are that girl who read my other fic and called me an antifeminist. Okay, I'm actually glad I found somewhere to talk to you where you might actually see it; see, I agree on what you said and everything, and I too believe that woman are equal to men, but My Precious Empty Space was based on that song there, and that song was written in the seventies, when it was popular belief that women were inferior. I'm sorry if I've offended you, I didn't mean to, but I did purposely write an ill-timed fic. Once again, I'm sorry.  
  
Starry Skies: It does have SOME effect on later on, and don't worry, this is all totally not gonna be what you think! I'm so excited! No secret relatives, relations maybe, but not relatives, lol. Snape is just creepy in himself.  
  
Karly: You've told me about a hundred times, I think. Lol... yes he is a sweetie! I luv that guy!  
  
NO NAME: Face? Lol. No Name Face is one of my favorite Lifehouse CD's, hehe. Anyway, *I* like their nicknames, lol... thanx!  
  
Joebob1379: What? You didn't think he just fell from heaven did you? Although that would explain a lot... haha... yes, that's why you move far far away from AZ... Lol.  
  
Hannah Grey: He didn't actually do anything; she's just grossed out because he could have. Well, they don't KNOW he didn't, but trust me... that would mess everything up...  
  
Malfoy: Neither. Or is it? HaHA! You'll have to find out later then, wont you? Hehehehehe.  
  
Ezmerelda: Thanx!  
  
Snapegirl: I apologize if you like Snape, but seriously; Sev/Herm fics are really just statutory rape... haha, JAILBATE! And that grosses me out, so Snape is EVIL here.  
  
Belle: Yeah brothers suck. Good think I don't have any. But I do have a really pretty dagger if you want to borrow it ;o)  
  
Lirawen: Alright, you did NOT just freaking accuse me of getting into your account and deleting your crap. I can barely get into my own account, much less figure out how to hack into someone else's. And what would that get me if I DID do it? Huh? Absolutely nothing. Exactly. So, no motive, no crime. I didn't fuck you your shit so sod off. Thank you for your time. But, ffr, save your stories to floppys... I have tons o' problems with system crashes, and I know what it's like to lose stuff.  
  
Hasapi: Interesting in a good way or a bad way? Eep. 


	32. What Darkness Was Intended For

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO: What Darkness Was Intended For  
  
As planned, Draco and Hermione made their way to breakfast. Hermione was radiant, glad to be out and about again, and Draco couldn't help but absorb her aura. Hermione was unsurprised to see Draco eat heartily; she knew he had been lying. Finished with her meal long before Draco, Hermione sat, leaning back in her chair, staring dreamily out across the snowy hall. Draco kept looking over to her with a smile as he lazily chewed. **She's so pretty when she's happy... and angry... and asleep... and... anything...**  
  
"I hope I never get really sick and have to be hospitalized for an extended period of time; I don't know if I could do it," she said unexpectedly with a laugh. Draco smiled and swallowed before speaking again.  
  
"It's not exactly fun; especially when your parents decide on then as a good time for a heartfelt confession," Draco agreed, remembering his previous episode with the hospital wing.  
  
"You just had to remind me of that, didn't you?" Hermione asked with cheerful sarcasm that sounded rather awkward. Draco smiled and shrugged, taking a final bite of his toast. "So, what do you want to do now?" Hermione wondered out loud, assuming he was finished.  
  
"Library?" he suggested and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"We don't really have a reason, do we? I am so sick of studying for that stupid test," she complained, smile dropping a little.  
  
"What's this then? Hermione Granger doesn't want to go to the library? Love, I think we should go back to the infirmary," Draco said with a smirk and Hermione sent him a glare, but smiled again.  
  
"You know, it's just like you to say something like that," she retorted, scrunching up her nose a little. Draco laughed.  
  
"That's adorable. Alright, so no library... there's always Dumbledore. We haven't actually told him we accept the teaching offer; maybe he'll give us some more information," he reminded her.  
  
"Hey, yeah... I almost forgot about that," Hermione said, straightening in her chair and cheering up considerably. Draco smiled, but Hermione just looked out across the hall. He kept his eyes on her; she looked happy and carefree, like nothing mattered to her except their pitiful meal. "Hey Ace, when are you going to go shopping?" she asked after a moment, finally turning her eyes to him. "If you wait much longer, there won't be anything left."  
  
"I don't know; whenever we find time, I suppose," Draco answered, smile dropping a little at the mention of the horrid pastime.  
  
"Oh no; I'm not going with you this time. You said you'd rather go alone, plus I think you'd get more done. Remember what happened last time?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Draco's smile dropped completely now; he didn't want to leave her alone.  
  
"I liked THAT part of last time," he reminded her, not taking his eyes from her smiling face.  
  
"Only because you used me as a distraction so you didn't really have to look for anything," Hermione said unenthusiastically, but kept her smile.  
  
"No, Hermione," Draco said, very seriously, without missing a beat. "I would never use you for anything," he told her as if she had said the most preposterous thing he had ever heard, face showing worry as he searched her eyes for pain. He found none and felt a little better. "I chose you over shopping, that's all," he promised and Hermione turned to him, looking apologetic.  
  
"I know. I didn't really mean that; not like it sounded," she told him, keeping her smile and leaning forward for her glass of pumpkin juice. "You do have to go, and if I don't go with you, I have reason to believe that it will substantially cut down your running time," she said and took a sip.  
  
"Damn straight. I'm not planning on leaving you alone for any longer than necessary," he said and Hermione's smile finally broke.  
  
"I'm a big girl, Draco. I don't need a babysitter," she said in a calm and semi-angry tone. Draco looked to her sharply, feeling the rise of foreboding in his stomach that always came when she was upset.  
  
"No, Hermione. That's not what I-" he tried to defend himself, but was cut off.  
  
"Why are you so afraid to leave me alone? I've been alone for just about my entire life; what's so different now?" she asked, sounding a little more angry and forcefully setting her goblet back on the table. Hermione crossed her arms and looked expectantly at Draco.  
  
"Snape hasn't been after you for your entire life," Draco answered solemnly and Hermione sighed in frustration.  
  
"I am so sick of hearing about Snape; it seems like all we ever talk about anymore! I am NOT worried about Snape and I DON'T think he's after me. He's just running on empty without a whole house of Gryffindors to take it out on, so I get all the leftovers as well as my own slice of malice. I don't know why this bothers you so much; he hasn't really been all that bad to me," she finished, her voice trailing off and sounding emotionless. Draco felt a little better; no emotion was better than anger.  
  
"I'm sorry; I just get a really bad vibe from that git. I don't trust the gum on his stupid spit shined shoes and I know what he's capable of. I don't want you to get hurt, love, and I know Snape would do it as easily as he would assign detention. THAT'S why this bothers me so much," Draco explained and was relieved to see Hermione smile. He leaned in to kiss behind her ear and she let him. At least his girl was somewhat happy again.  
  
"Let's go see Dumbledore; I think that sounds like the best thing to do," Hermione suggested and turned to him.  
  
"Alright, Mia," he agreed once again and Hermione smiled before kissing him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Together and smiling, Hermione and Draco walked hand-in-hand to Dumbledore's office. Hermione was obviously happy, but Draco noticed that she had been much more so before breakfast. He didn't comment, however; at least she was happy... Draco didn't want to jeopardize that as well.  
  
Dumbledore was seated in his office when they arrived and he called the couple in immediately. Hermione and Draco informed him of their acceptance of his request, and Dumbledore couldn't have looked happier. Neither teen had ever seen the headmaster this excited. The old man had actually given them each a burly hug, creating smiles all around.  
  
After repeatedly telling them how happy he and the staff would be and how proud of them they all were, the headmaster gave them each a large folder full of information and time-tables. Hermione looked even more excited now than she had when informed of the job. She energetically thanked Dumbledore and bid him goodbye, then grabbed Draco's hand. He smiled before hurrying to follow her out the door.  
  
"Calm down, love. It'll still be there in ten minutes," Draco said, walking beside Hermione as she practically skipped down the hall, still holding his hand. She giggled.  
  
"I know; I can't help it. I haven't had any homework in months, what else am I supposed to get excited about?" she said, radiating happiness again. Draco couldn't help but be happy as well. It would have been impossible to be upset when Hermione was like this, even if he had reason to be.  
  
"My god, how do you make it though the summer?" he asked, laughing. Hermione grinned.  
  
"I do all the homework twice to make sure everything is perfect, but it's usually done within the first few weeks. There's more to do over the summer, though, more people and opportunities. Plus, you can go outside without a nurse jumping at your neck." Draco laughed and unclasped their hands, moving his arm around her waist. Hermione smiled and kissed Draco's cheek. "How do you spend your summer, Ace?" Draco shrugged.  
  
"I used to spend them in our dungeons; my father's apprentice. I now can free myself of any means of restraint and know enough spells to protect myself or someone else from any curse but the unforgivables, thanks to that. Last summer was strange for me; I didn't set foot in the dungeons once. I did manage to find six rooms I didn't know we had, including a second library. Most of last summer I spent looking through everything," he told her, their pace slowing as the couple neared the common room entrance.  
  
"You have a library?" she asked, only meagerly shocked; his house certainly was big enough.  
  
"Of course, don't you?" he asked, in reality very surprised. As much as Hermione loved to read, it was somewhat shocking to learn that she didn't have at least one room dedicated to her books. Hermione shook her head, but kept her smile.  
  
"My house isn't quite as big as yours, Ace. I don't have room for more than a bookshelf," she told him, flipping the folder in her hands.  
  
"I'll show you the next time you come. The main library has mostly dark arts books, so I don't know how much you'd like that one... but the new one has a lot of old stuff. I found some rather interesting books there. My library is by far the best, although not the biggest, but of course I'd think that as I hand chose everything there," Draco said and Hermione told the ebony haired man and his daughter the password before she responded. The two occupants of the painting politely remained silent.  
  
"You have your OWN library? Okay; now I'm jealous," she said and broke away from him, walking into the common room. Draco laughed and watched Hermione as she walked away from him and settled herself on the floor, her back against the couch.  
  
"It's nothing much, just a converted walk-in closet." He shrugged. "I didn't need three." Hermione looked up at him with a smile while she fiddled with the clasp on the folder. Draco just watched her for a moment, then his eyes sparked with curiosity. "How old are you, Mia?" he asked and Hermione looked up again.  
  
"Sixteen; why?" she answered, surprisingly unsuspicious.  
  
"And your birthday is?" he asked and Hermione's eyebrow rose.  
  
"May 19th. Where are you going with this?"  
  
"Hmm," was Draco's answer. He seemed to think for a moment, then shrugged it off and moved to sit beside Hermione on the floor.  
  
"Draco?" she asked and he smiled.  
  
"I was just thinking; after this whole training thing is over, I'll be legally able to teach Apparation. I can teach you over the summer, then you can go wherever you want and you won't have to have me tagging along behind you," he explained and Hermione smiled. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then extracted a pile of papers from her folder.  
  
"And exactly what does that have to do with your library?" Hermione asked while she skimmed though the documents.  
  
"Nothing really, but I was hoping you would come and visit me over the summer. You know, as little as we'll see each other when classes start, it'll be even less after we graduate; at least until next year," Draco reminded her. Hermione sighed heavily with a frown.  
  
"I know," she said sadly. Draco smiled and kissed her ear, placing a hand on her opposite cheek.  
  
"We'll think of something, love," he reassured her and Hermione smiled. She nodded slowly and turned her face to him. Draco let their lips touch briefly, a gentle kiss which plainly said 'I'm here now'. Hermione smiled a little more and Draco was glad; everything always seemed better when she smiled.  
  
"I still don't see what that has to do with anything we were talking about," she pointed out and Draco smirked.  
  
"Why can't we just talk? Why does it always have to be about something?" he quoted her and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Are you going to open your folder, Ace?" she asked and turned back to her own. Draco let his hand melt away from her cheek. "I want to see your time- table." Hermione glanced to Draco, then back to her papers.  
  
"Sure, Mia," he said with a smile and picked up the packed beside him, tearing it open with no regard to the troublesome clasp, and extracted the contents.  
  
Hermione had already separated her papers into two piles: one of tables and lists, the other of information packets and other things which demanded detailed reading. Draco flipped through his own papers, glancing at each and mentally noting what was there.  
  
"Ah," he said and pulled once sheet from the pile of parchment. Draco held the paper out to Hermione before even looking over it and Hermione smiled as she took it, holding the sheet in one hand, her own time-table in the other. Draco watched her eyes as they darted between each sheet and noticed that Hermione's smile dropped a little with each glance. **Oh no,** he thought as he saw the hope in her oculi rapidly dissipate.  
  
"I can't believe it," Hermione said after a long and silent pause. "There's nothing; absolutely nothing," she finished, dropping her hands and shoulders.  
  
"What? Not even potions?" Draco asked, surprised as well and disappointed.  
  
"You don't even have potions, Ace. Lucky bastard," she told him, saying the last two words with just enough volume for Draco to hear. He would have smiled or laughed, but Draco was too busy trying to digest the information. "Look," Hermione said, holding the papers out to him. "Nothing," she repeated. Draco looked uneasily at her, but took the papers and scanned them with his eyes.  
  
He hoped that Hermione was playing a joke and that it wasn't true, but something deep down told him it was. Comparing the tables confirmed it; they had absolutely no classes or training classes together. Draco looked up from the parchment to Hermione, who was sitting with her back against the couch and her knees drawn up, arms wrapped around her legs, chin rested between her knees. She wasn't crying, but looked miserable none the same, and Draco felt his breath catch again; he hated that look more than he would have tears. It was a depressing contrast from her mood moments before.  
  
"It's alright love, don't worry," Draco told Hermione and tied an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"I knew there wouldn't be much, but I expected something. I'm addicted to you, Ace. I don't think I can quit you cold turkey," Hermione said, closing her eyes.  
  
"Shh, Mia. I'll still see you at lunch and between classes. It'll be alright," he tried to reassure her, but Hermione didn't seem much happier. "Plus, I'm pretty sure an addiction like this isn't very healthy," Draco tried, in a lapse attempt to make her smile. He sighed. "Hermione, if it's that important to you, we could talk to Dumbledore; ask him to reconsider some things," he suggested, placing his hand on her knee. Hermione looked up at him.  
  
"What do you mean, 'if it's that important to me'? Isn't it important to you?" she asked, hopeful.  
  
"Of course it is, Hermione. I miss you when you take a shower, I have no idea how I'll make it through this either, but you can't remind yourself of that. It just makes it worse," Draco told her and Hermione closed her eyes again. Draco placed his forehead against her ear and kissed Hermione's neck a little. "Do you want to talk to Dumbledore?" he asked after a moment. Hermione took a stuttered breath, then paused before answering.  
  
"No," she whispered and Draco was surprised. Hermione waited just a moment before she explained. "Dumbledore does everything for a reason; there's probably some subliminal lesson here. I'd rather not get our hopes up," she said and Draco silently agreed. He sighed and lifted his head to kiss her ear again. "And, like you said, we'll be together even less over the summer. Maybe it's better this way," she continued.  
  
Draco smiled and pulled his head away, sitting up a little. Hermione opened her eyes and looked to him with a crooked smile. Draco was smiling as well and pulled her head a little closer, moving to meet her lips with his. The kiss was long, but uneventful, and both were smiling as it ended, which always seemed to be the case. Draco kissed her once more before getting to his feet. Hermione looked up and him and Draco shrugged.  
  
"Shower," he explained and she nodded once, still smiling. Hermione reached up to touch his hand and sighed. Draco waited a moment until Hermione's hand melted away, then started slowly toward the bathroom. Hermione watched as he walked away and smiled back when he turned to her with one before entering the lavatory. She sighed when the door was fully closed behind him and turned back to her papers.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco showered thoroughly and dressed in an outfit similar to his previous one. He spent a while in front of the mirror, surveying himself, and decided once and for all that he liked his hair better without gel. Of course, Hermione agreed, so it was no surprise that Draco had no trouble accepting his decision. After a sigh and a bit more prepping, Draco emerged from the bathroom and looked up to see Hermione, still on the floor as she had been before, but now held her clipboard and a quill, evidently taking notes form one of the large packets found in the folder.  
  
Draco smiled at her, crossed his arms, and leaned against the doorframe; she was obliviant to his entrance and continued to look from packet to parchment, mouth making silent words and branding them into her memory. She smiled after a few minutes, but did not stop her work.  
  
"Catch an eyeful yet, Ace? " she asked unexpectedly. Evidently, Hermione knew more about Draco's presence than he thought she did. "Has anyone ever told you that you're unbelievably distracting?" Draco shook his head a little, then walked back over to her and sat down, a little farther away than he had been before.  
  
Hermione made no notice but to smile while she attempted to memorize her reading material. Draco sighed and crossed his legs beneath him, then re- extracted the papers from his folder. He picked up the top packet and opened it; just reading, unlike Hermione. Hermione stopped writing for a moment and turned her page, then looked to her side, at Draco.  
  
"Aren't you even going to say hello to me or something?" she asked and Draco smiled, but his eyes continued to scan the page in front of him.  
  
"You were busy," he explained and turned his page. Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek, needing to put her hand to the floor to keep herself from toppling over. Draco hardly made any reaction; simply kept his smile and continued to scan his page.  
  
"Alright then," Hermione said and pulled back away again. She resumed her writing and all was quiet, save the scratch of a quill and the periodical turn of a page.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was over four hours before either of them spoke again. Hermione sighed and dropped her quill, then brought her fingers up to rub her eyes. She took a deep breath and dropped her hands to her side, then looked over to Draco, who was still sitting beside her. He too was still reading and Hermione noticed the slightly green tinge of the packet he was holding.  
  
"Weren't you reading that like an hour ago?" she asked and Draco nodded, eyes still scanning the page.  
  
"I read them all; I had to start over," he said and flipped the page. Hermione turned her head to the pile of unexplored material which still was larger than the pile of thoroughly read packets.  
  
"Why?" she asked, turning back to him. Draco shrugged and closed his packet.  
  
"That's how I learn things I have to remember. I only take written notes on things I find boring, and then only to stay focused," he explained and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Go with what works," she said, then smiled. "Draco, do you remember when we used to go to dinner at exactly six thirty every night just because we knew we would both be there?" she asked and Draco joined her expression.  
  
"That's why I came; I never knew that's why you did," he told her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Why else would I come? I don't like being spontaneous?" she asked, a little smartly.  
  
"I don't know, I never really thought about it. I knew you would be there; that was good enough for me," he said with a smile, then looked over to the clock on the mantle. "Well, it's almost six thirty. What say we keep tradition alive and go to dinner?" Draco suggested and Hermione smiled, then nodded.  
  
Draco stood, using the couch as support as he placed his weight on his cramped legs. Gentlemanly, he held out a hand to Hermione and, as always, she took it. Hermione stood, her face a few inches from Draco's, and smiled. Draco knew what she wanted and was in no position not to give it to her. The kiss was long and fairly deep, a definite win on both parties. Hermione took Draco's hand and they stepped carefully over the grounded papers before walking to the common room door.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Mia, since when have you been all buddy-buddy with McGonagall?" Draco asked when they were a bit down the hall. Hermione seemed happy, as well as tired, and she answered with a smile.  
  
"Since forever. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a total suck-up. I guess she admires that or something. Plus, she IS my head of house... we've always been close.... Are you jealous?" she told him and said the last sentence with sarcastic mock-suspicion. Draco pretended not to hear the last bit.  
  
"Snape is my head of house, and I hate every aspect of him," Draco reminded her, looking angry at the thought of the potions master.  
  
"You haven't always hated Snape," she pointed out, still smiling.  
  
"He was never my best friend," Draco retorted, not wanting to admit to ever seeing Snape as anything more than the evil man he now believed him to be.  
  
"McGonagall is only like Snape in that she IS rather strict and she DOES favor her own house. To me, she's like a distant grandmother," Hermione explained, smiling and looking ahead.  
  
"If you say so, love," Draco said and kissed her cheek. Hermione kept her smile and squeezed his hand a little as they entered the lobby. "Hey, you know what would be funny? If we made the ice slippery just as everyone comes in. They won't expect it and they'll all comically fall down," Draco said with a smirk, expecting Hermione to turn to him with a warning expression, but she smirked.  
  
"You mean like you did?" she asked, then shrugged. "I don't know; some of those people can really hold a grudge. We should wait for the first years to come across the lake; they'll be scared of us; no risk," she said, totally serious. Draco smiled and shook his head.  
  
"I was kidding, Mia." Hermione shrugged again.  
  
"Oh," she said, not really paying much attention. Then, she smiled and looked up at him.  
  
"I really am a bad influence on you, love," he said and took a step ahead to open the door for her.  
  
"Yeah, well... I'm a good influence on you, so it evens out," she said and walked through the door, holding his hand as Draco followed behind her.  
  
"You won't be much longer if I make you evil," he said and Hermione looked warningly at him. "Oh, sorry..." he said with a sarcastic smirk. "Ethically challenged." Hermione smiled and walked with Draco to the head table. No one was in the great hall and she stopped a moment to view their work from two days prior. It was the first time she had really taken the time to notice them since they had left that day.  
  
"Well, Ace, I must say that you do have a knack for decorating. You may not be able to dress yourself, but you certainly can dress a room," Hermione said with a smirk as they sat down in their usual seats at the head table.  
  
"Thanks, I think," he said and kissed her ear. Hermione giggled and leaned in to once again look at the snow globes.  
  
"They still can't skate," she pointed out, smiling as the blonde skater slipped.  
  
"Of course they can't; they're 'adorable' this way," he said sarcastically, mocking her previous opinion.  
  
"I agree, but I though you would have changed them when you went to dinner last night," she told him, smiling as the bubble's miniature Hermione helped the tiny Draco up and he kissed her cheek sweetly. "Aww, I've never seen them do that before," she said, watching intently.  
  
"They do that all the time. You told me not to change them, so I didn't. Plus, last night I was too worried about you to even notice them, much less take the time to change them. I was only here for about five minutes; long enough to make a sandwich and pull myself away from Dumbledore and McGonagall," he told her and Hermione looked to him casually, keeping her smile.  
  
"You didn't tell me they were here," she said, taking a small bite of the meal which had materialized in front of her. Draco, who's meal had also appeared, smiled and swallowed.  
  
"It wasn't a big deal; they asked how you were doing and why I was there so late, but that was about it," he said with a shrug.  
  
"Hmm," Hermione said, her mouth full. She chewed slowly, not wanting the blessed hunger to go away too quickly. Hermione liked that feeling, it made her feel good, like keeping it was doing something good for her. She liked it much better than the unbelievably full feeling she knew she would have when this dinner was over. She swallowed, then paused a moment. "I have to write to Mum," she said, reminding herself out loud. "I haven't told them about this job thing; she should probably know." Draco nodded and finished his bite of food as well.  
  
"Me too. Are you going to tell Harry and Ron?" he asked, pushing his food around on his plate.  
  
"Oh no; I didn't tell them either; did I? They won't appreciate that much. I better wait until they get here. If I write them now, they'll be mad I didn't tell them sooner, but if I wait, I can say I wanted to surprise them," she decided, explaining to herself as well as Draco.  
  
"Yeah, that might be a better idea," he agreed, flashing a smile at her. Hermione made a happy sigh and took a very large bite of her meal. **Might as well get this over with,** she thought and chewed the gallant morsel.  
  
The rest of the meal was almost silent, but comfortable and happy. Both Draco and Hermione were content in simply eating and being close to each other. When Hermione finished, she set down her fork and propped her elbow on the table, resting her head on it and looking out across the hall.  
  
"It's probably good that you don't have potions, Ace. I don't know if you could last at least an hour a day that close to Snape," she said after a minute or two of gazing at nothing.  
  
"That's probably WHY I don't have potions," Draco pointed out, no longer eating, but mixing the leftover food on his plate. "Both Snape and Dumbledore know I hate him, I wouldn't doubt if Snape arranged it out of fear," Draco finished with an evil smile directed at his rapidly mutating plate of food. Hermione smiled and shook her head at his childishness.  
  
"I'm scared, why shouldn't he be?" she asked and Draco turned to her, looking almost scared himself.  
  
"Do I scare you, Hermione?" he asked, serious. Hermione's mouth dropped a fraction, surprised at his question.  
  
"Yes, Draco. I'm absolutely terrified of you. Look, I'm quivering, see?" she said and twitched her upper body, screwing up her face and looking ridiculous.  
  
"Now THAT'S attractive," Draco said sarcastically with a short laugh. Hermione stopped and laughed too, then smiled at him and shrugged.  
  
"You told me not to be so pretty, I'm just living up to my promise," she explained and Draco smiled, then leaned in a little closer.  
  
"I think I'm withdrawing my request," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Oh, really?" she retorted, not reacting to his subtle hints and small advances, although she definitely noticed them.  
  
"Really," he stated, smiling.  
  
"Well, that's just too bad for you, then. You can't take it back; sorry," she said, folding her arms and lifting her chin, eyes closed.  
  
"They're just words; they mean nothing," Draco said in defense, almost worried that she might be angry. Hermione brought her eyes to meet his in an almost cold glare. She smirked for a split second, then brought her lips back to the harsh line they had previously been.  
  
"Is 'I love you' just words?" she asked, internally struggling to keep the pseudo fog in her eyes, giving them the illusion of coldness. Draco's small smile dropped with his jaw as he heard her question. The shock wore off quickly and Draco realized that he still needed to answer her. He smiled as a smooth comment came to him.  
  
"No, Mia. 'I love you' is a spell," he said and kissed her before she could react. Hermione was into the kiss in no time, moving her hands to his shoulders. Draco's hands were on her sides, being tickled by Hermione's hair as her head moved with the kiss. She smiled when it was over and stood, taking a step so that she was nearly behind Draco's chair. He looked up at her, smiling.  
  
"That chicken was better than I expected," she stated, running her hand along the back of his chair as she walked around the head table and started for the main floor of the great hall. Draco stood and followed her, but Hermione wasn't planning on leaving without him. She stopped and waited.  
  
"Wait," Draco said, pausing a few feet away. "You didn't have chicken; I...did," he said, trailing off as he realized what she meant. Hermione giggled and took a step toward him. "That grosses me out in ways I never thought possible. I really wish you would keep such thoughts to yourself, love," he said as Hermione took his hand. She kissed his cheek and smiled.  
  
"You took my gum," she reminded him and Draco smiled a little.  
  
"Well, I didn't tell you how it tasted, did I?" he pointed out and Hermione laughed.  
  
"I suppose that's true," she said as Draco began to walk toward the doors, hand in hand with his Gryffindor.  
  
Silent and unanimously, the couple decided to return to the common room. They were together on the couch for the next few hours, Hermione sat with her legs over Draco's, book on her lap, parchment in her hand, and Draco let her, holding his book in one hand, the other behind Hermione, stroking the hair which fell over her back. Both were comfortable with their position and moved only when necessary, for the most part summoning things they needed.  
  
When Hermione finished her seventh packet and saw that she still had three more to go, she was ready and willing to quit for the night. She threw her book and parchment down on the floor with a thump and Draco looked at her from his packet, watching her as she reached down for her wand, which rested on the ground near her book.  
  
She silently summoned a book and Draco smiled, glad she didn't want to move either. Hermione shifted a little and kissed his cheek, then relaxed again and opened her book. Draco switched his packet from one hand to the other and rested the now unoccupied hand on Hermione's leg. She smiled, but didn't look up from her book.  
  
It was ten thirty before either of them moved again. Draco closed the back page of the pale green packet and tossed it on the cushion beside him. He had read every packet four times, word for word, and was now ready for a well deserved break.  
  
He sighed deeply and leaned his head back, closing his eyes and placing his now free hands on Hermione legs. She looked up from her book with a smile and the sound, not really wanting to read anyway.  
  
"Draco?" she asked, although she wasn't worried.  
  
"Did you know what Apparation originated in Scotland, discovered by a man named London Fitzpatrick? He was planning a vacation with his family in the year of 1014 and closed his eyes to think of a place to escape too, then opened them to find himself on a remote island with wild boars and passion fruit. It took him three years to figure out how to get back," he told her, keeping his eyes closed. Hermione smiled.  
  
"That's very interesting," she stated in an attempt at being supportive. Draco snorted and lifted his head, turning to look at her.  
  
"Sure, you think that now. Try re-reading it four times along with god knows how much more equally un-enjoyable information, most of which you already know," he complained and Hermione swung her legs so that her feet were on the floor.  
  
"That was your choice, my dear," she said and kissed him quickly before breaking herself away and heading for the bathroom. Draco picked his head up and opened his eyes to watch her go. As she had a habit of doing, Hermione looked back and smiled before slipping into the room.  
  
Draco just sat in the common room and waited for her, twirling his wand in one hand. He wasn't really thinking about anything, just what Hermione looked like just before she left and what he hoped might happen when she returned.  
  
She was only gone for about ten minutes, then exited the washroom prepared for bed. Draco smiled and Hermione walked over to him, planting a kiss firmly on his lips. She paused for a moment and smiled before standing straight and walking toward the bedroom. Draco watched her go with a smile and once again, Hermione looked back before leaving his view.  
  
Draco sighed when she was gone and stood. Going to bed sounded like a pretty good idea in itself, but knowing Hermione would be there made up Draco's mind. He grabbed his wand and followed Hermione's path; first to the bathroom, then the couch to retrieve his book, then to the bedroom; his final destination.  
  
Hermione was in bed, lying on her stomach, pillow under her chest and a book above it. She smiled when she heard him enter, but otherwise did not move. Draco walked to the bed, placing his wand and book on the night table to be forgotten. Hermione looked over to him now, not able to keep her eyes away any longer, and Draco smiled. He climbed into bed beside her, lying on his back. Hermione gently slid her book across the bed, letting it fall noiselessly off and into a pile of something soft. She turned onto her side and propped her head on an elbow, facing her boyfriend with a smile.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Hermione asked, placing a hand on Draco's chest. He smiled and turned his head to her.  
  
"You," he said simply and Hermione kissed him. Draco kissed back, moving onto his side to gain a little more dominance. The kiss was hard and deep, more so than even the kisses they had shared that morning. Hermione had taken to pushing Draco onward, tempting him to go deeper, and he couldn't help but comply.  
  
Pushing ever farther, Draco rolled Hermione onto her back and climbed on top of her, never breaking the kiss. Hermione seemed to hesitate, then pushed him gently away.  
  
"Draco," she whispered, holding him to her so he wouldn't attempt to get up. "If we start this here, I won't be able to stop it," she told him, a bit breathless from the excitement. Draco waited a moment, then visibly swallowed.  
  
"Is that alright?" he asked, also in a whisper. Hermione couldn't help but be surprised that he was asking this; she definitely hadn't expected it. This close to Draco and the one thing she wanted so much from him, despite the fact that every fiber of her being screamed no, Hermione couldn't refuse him. It felt so right, she couldn't say no. Instead she nodded eagerly and Draco smiled before he kissed her again; getting them into something they had no intention of getting out of.  
  
A/N That's all the smut you guys are getting from me. This fic STAYS PG13, and that's final, haha. Just because they're doing 'the deed' doesn't mean I have to give details, does it? No, I didn't think so, so don't be expecting them from the next chapter. Coming Soon: The morning after; are there regrets? Does Draco have knees? Are there teams in strip poker? And how many brooms can one kid HAVE?  
  
PRF:  
  
Kara Malfoy: Okay, even I have to say that was a little uncalled for. Thanx for backing me up though, and although many of those things my be true, I can't actually say that, because I don't know this Lirawen person at all, other than she thinks pretty high of herself and assumes that because she's been writing longer that makes her better that everyone else... but anyway. Thanx for liking my story so much, but every post seems to bring with it another person who hates it and I'm starting to believe them... which in no way means I'm going to stop; just something to think about.  
  
Hasapi: Thanx! Lirawen is still on my case, which I think is kind of immature, but whatever..., let her have her fun. Works for me. Haha.  
  
Envision: I told you the real problem, didn't I? Oh, maybe it's in this chapter... Mia's whole problem was that it was a side-effect of the freaking curse thing, when in reality I just needed them in the hospital wing so I can tie up some loose ends... haha...  
  
*gigglinggurly*: Soon? No, not really, lol... but that will be about the end; when the students come back... hehe.  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: You'll see about Snape... along with everyone else, lol  
  
Draco's Dragon: Hey, I might have gotten it from the Princess Diaries... I never really thought of that, but now that you mention it, that could be why I think it sounds that way... I dunno, lol.  
  
Starry Skies: Yes yes, everyone is freaking out about Snape... I swear, he's not the bad guy! ::snort:: okay, so he is... but Percy's in jail, and I needed conflict, and Snape creeps me out!  
  
Cilla: Cool! People were waiting! That's awesome! Haha... no, it was a side effect from that Singtransion curse thingy from Percy... I think I said that... ok, well...  
  
Lirawen: I have nothing to say to you anymore, except that I appreciate your apology. I don't think you've ever apologized to me before, and I swear that I didn't do anything to you. So, yeah...  
  
Malfoy: Haha, like YOU have telepathy....**What a fruitcake** lol, wait; You didn't hear that, DID you? Oh crap...  
  
J: very interesting penname you have there. MIB rules. Anyway. I appreciate your concern and criticism, really I do... but you have to remember that I am fifteen and writing Harry Potter fanfiction. Who gives a shit if it doesn't make sense? Pay attention to the little quirks and stuff, that's why they're there. And the Percy thing wasn't the only conflict to resolve! We still have this whole Snape thing going on and what not... which I know didn't show up until AFTER the Percy thing, and I realize that, if I were smart, I would have broken it into Flames and the sequel to Flames, but it's too late now, so I'll wait until I've finished my Snape crisis to deal with what to do next. Thanx though. And yes, I know I suck... it's like, my best feature. I do know HOW to write a story; I'm just not very good at it.  
  
JoeBob1379: Hey, if somebody told me he fell from heaven, I wouldn't argue with them about it... haha. That WOULD be awesome... "Hey, what's that? Is it superman? No, it's Super Stud! Dun dun dun!" Haha... and yeah, I've heard that song! It's the only hit the Weathergirls ever had, because they were very unattractive...lol  
  
Lily Rainwater: Thanx. You're always so nice to me. I really don't deserve it. Thanx for standing up for me too, I know these guys are just being way too meticulous. Be ruthless! Be a rogue! Shut the hell up! Lol. But I'm not going to talk about Lirawen, because I'm really getting sick of her. All she does is say the same things over and over again. "I'm better than you" "I'm a professional" "I am all mighty and powerful, please bow down to ME" okay, so maybe she doesn't say please.... lol...  
owed Hermione'a in itself, but knowing Hermione would be there made up Draco'en when she retur 


	33. Apprehensive Arousal

Disclaimer: Forgot one for last chapter. Sorry.  
  
When the lost find a name worth believing in And the falling get back onto their feet And the broken start to dream again And the sound of fun fills these streets You'll know it's here  
  
Yes... the disclaimer is here. That means that, even though I am here, and have placed these words here, I own not one of the ideals, which have also been placed, by me, here. Just keep that in mind. I know half the time my disclaimers don't make any sense, but that's just fine with me.  
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE: Apprehensive Arousal  
  
Draco lay awake with Hermione asleep on his chest, neither wearing more than bed sheets. He held his hand over her shoulder, rubbing gently with his thumb, his thoughts on nothing but her.  
  
She had cried. Not like Selene, but ultimately, she had. Draco knew he hadn't hurt Hermione, but he couldn't help but be worried. What would she say when she woke up? Would she regret it? He couldn't say for sure if he did or not. Right now, he didn't; in the same situation, he would have done the same thing, but if Hermione regretted it... **I'll never forgive myself,** he thought, the worry churning in his stomach. He kissed her head lightly, wanting to make sure he knew what he had risked. Hermione's trust was handing by a thread, and all he could do was wait.  
  
Hermione smiled as she felt the kiss. Unbeknownst to Draco, she had been awake for a few minutes, just taking in and enjoying the situation; she didn't know of the turmoil he was inflicting on himself. Hermione didn't regret last night, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She felt Draco take a semi-deep breath and let it out in a slow sigh. Hermione knew he was awake; she doubted if he had ever even gone to sleep. Taking a deep breath herself, Hermione alerted Draco of her state of being and shifted a little.  
  
"Good morning, Hermione," he said with a smile. Hermione hadn't called him Ace once throughout their act, and in return he hadn't called her Mia. She smiled too, loving to just hear him talking, then pushed herself up a little to look at him.  
  
"Hey," she said with a wide smile. Hermione noticed how happy Draco seemed, but also picked out a bit of unease in his eyes. A wave of panic washed over her; that was not something she wanted to see first thing this morning. Draco seemed to be ignoring the feeling and kept a large smile on his face.  
  
"Alright?" he asked when she said nothing more and Hermione smiled, stretching her arm across his chest.  
  
"I'm better than alright," she said and Draco seemed to relax a little. Hermione saw the unease that had scared her be overcome with pure and complete happiness. Her discomfort went away as well, glad he was just worried about how she felt.  
  
Draco felt incredibly good as he heard Hermione's answer. Now that he knew that she didn't regret what they had done, everything seemed right. She smiled and pushed herself up to meet his lips, gently reassuring him that she was in no way disappointed.  
  
"I love you," Hermione whispered when the kiss ended and Draco kissed her again, then moved the hand not on her shoulder to play with hair. Hermione smiled and laid her head back on his chest, squeezing him close.  
  
"I love you too, Hermione," he reminded her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry I cried," she said, closing her eyes and letting her lips brush against his bare chest. Draco was surprised at her apology, wondering why she would think it was needed. This wasn't the first time he suspected she may be able to read his mind.  
  
"What?" he asked, letting his fingers slide over her hair.  
  
"I saw the way you looked at me, I know what you were thinking," she told him, running her hand back over his chest. Draco kissed her head again, but otherwise made no notice of her comment. "I didn't mean it," she assured him. "Not like that..."  
  
"I know, love. It's alright," he told her and kissed her hair once more. Hermione smiled and trailed her fingertips lightly over his skin. She kissed his chest again, not wanting to do anything but be with him. Draco smiled and closed his eyes for a moment.  
  
"I can't believe we did that," Hermione said with a smile. "And you were surprised that I let you carry me."  
  
"Do you regret it?" Draco asked, fairly sure that she didn't, but wanting to hear her say so.  
  
"Hell no," she said and turned her head up to smile at him. Draco let out a breath and grinned as well.  
  
"Good," he said and hugged her to him. Hermione pushed herself up for another quick kiss.  
  
"You thought I would? Why would you think that... do you?" she asked, looking more sorrowful than anything else. Draco opened his mouth, not sure how to get smoothly through this.  
  
"No, love, I just wanted to make sure. I haven't exactly had good luck with women in that department," he explained and Hermione smiled, then gave him another kiss. She settled her head back on his chest and Draco ran the hand which rested on her shoulder down her side and across her back. Hermione remained still and silent for a while, paying close attention to Draco's touch, periodically kissing his chest and sliding her fingertips over his skin. Draco was as happy with the position as she was and closed his eyes, loving the feeling of her small frame on top of him. Together they just rested, enjoying each other, for almost half an hour. Then Hermione took a deep sigh.  
  
"I don't want to move," she complained, lifting herself up and holding the sheet against her chest.  
  
"No one said you had to," Draco said, trying to pull her back to him. Hermione smiled and gave him a quick kiss.  
  
"We can't stay like this forever, as much as I'd like to," Hermione told him and paused for a moment before sitting up, still holding the sheet over her. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed again before reaching for her wand on the bed table. Hermione dressed herself with a spell and got out of bed, much to Draco's disappointment.  
  
"Why not?" he asked, a bit post-maturely, as Hermione rounded the bed. She smiled and sat on the edge beside him. Draco put an innocent hand on her thigh and smiled.  
  
"Do you realize how much of a risk it was staying like that as long as we did? I mean, what if Pomfrey came to check on me and found us? She'd put me in the hospital wing until the start of term and you wouldn't be visiting," she pointed out, placing her hand on his chest and leaning in.  
  
"You worry too much. She would've knocked," Draco retorted with a smirk and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Not necessarily," she said.  
  
"She did last time," Draco pointed out.  
  
"She didn't know the password last time."  
  
"And she does now?" he asked, a little surprised. Hermione nodded.  
  
"She made me tell her, don't ask why... I think she found it amusing," Hermione confessed, trying to keep her smile. "And what about Snape?"  
  
"What ABOUT Snape?" Draco asked, a little suspicious. Hermione smirked.  
  
"If his alarms went off when you kissed me, imagine what they were doing last night," she explained and laughed at the horrified look on Draco's face. She leaned down and kissed him, turning his lips back into a smile.  
  
"That's so revolting how he can just monitor somebody like that. I feel violated," Draco said, smiling at Hermione, only a few inches away.  
  
"Do you really think he's monitoring us?" she asked, sounding more curious than scared.  
  
"There are charms that would work," Draco said with a shrug. Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Now I feel violated, and it's an eerily familiar feeling," she told him with a slight frown, remembering Harry and Ron for the first time in what seemed like forever. Draco sat up and pulled her into a hug. She smiled and accepted it, not about to say no to getting closer to him.  
  
Draco kissed her shoulder and held her, not wanting to be the one to pull away. Hermione seemed to know this and held him tight for a moment before pulling back. She was smiling and Draco was glad. He didn't want her unhappy, especially this morning.  
  
Hermione stood from the bed and Draco rested his head on her hip. Hermione held it in place for a moment, running her fingers into his hair, then pulled herself away, moving toward the door. Draco smiled when she looked back; it seemed as if nothing had changed between them and Draco was grateful. That had been his biggest concern after hurting her; that her so- called love was just a near desperate desire to sleep with him, but Draco knew deep down that Hermione did love him and he hated himself for ever doubting her.  
  
He flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes. Draco wanted her back, close again. He stayed there for an extended moment, then took a deep sigh and made to get out of bed, following Hermione's example and grabbing his wand from he bed table. He waited a moment and ran a hand through his mangled hair, then paused with a smirk. He dressed himself and walked calmly into the common room.  
  
Surprisingly, Hermione hadn't intercepted the shower yet and was, in fact, back on the floor, sifting through her notes. Draco smiled.  
  
"Look, love. I'm wearing shorts," he said and Hermione looked up with a smile.  
  
"That doesn't count," she said, eying Draco, who was wearing a white t- shirt and black boxer shorts.  
  
"Why not? You can see my knees," he pointed out and Hermione nodded slightly.  
  
"That's very true," she said, then smiled. "And you said you had unattractive legs."  
  
"No, I said they weren't as attractive as yours," he corrected her and walked farther into the common room. Hermione smiled as he walked closer, nearing the couch she leaned against.  
  
"I dare say you'd look rather odd with my legs, Ace," she said smartly, a smirk on her face. Draco smiled and knelt down beside her.  
  
"Not if they're wrapped around me," he whispered and Hermione laughed. She turned to face him and Draco kissed her. "Don't you want the shower, Mia?" he asked and Hermione smiled.  
  
"No, you can have it. I don't want to wash all that away just yet," she said, a smile on her face. Draco kissed her again, a little longer this time. He waited a moment, then stood, continuing to look down at Hermione. She smiled, then turned back to her papers. Draco internally shrugged and decided that he might as well take up her offer; he certainly didn't want to go back to reading the Apparation information.  
  
A cheerful sigh and Draco started to the bathroom, smiling back at Hermione, who had looked up to watch him leave. She fought back an urge as the door closed behind her leg-baring lover and waited for the water to be turned on before she jumped up and pelted for her room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco exited the bathroom and looked up to see an empty common room, complete with Hermione's pile of closed books and blank parchment. He felt a little prick of panic; it was unlike her to not have done any work at all. Draco was about to call out for her, but a memory stopped him. ** What, I can't even leave the room without permission? NOW you sound like Harry and Ron, Draco,** her voice repeated in his head. It hurt when she had said that, and he would do anything to stop her from even thinking it again.  
  
Instead, Draco walked, almost quickly, to his room and slowly opened the door. He peaked in, hopes dashed at the sight of the empty room.  
  
"Don't do this to me, Hermione..." he muttered to no one. Draco left his door open, not really noticing much; his thoughts were on Hermione alone. Draco stepped up to the door of Hermione's room and moved to once again open it. He hesitated before turning the knob, feeling unbelievably wrong about just entering her room. Draco took a deep breath, feeling torn.  
  
He didn't want to knock and have her think he was still keeping tabs on her, but Draco couldn't just leave it to chance that she might not be in there. He placed his ear to the door, needing to just hear something. It wasn't long before Draco lurched forward, the door opened from underneath him. Hermione giggled when she saw this and Draco blushed a little. She kissed his cheek and smiled.  
  
"Hey," she said, a little giggle incorporated with her words. "What are you doing?" Draco gulped a little, hoping an argument wasn't on the rise. As pretty as Hermione was when she was angry, Draco preferred her happy. He shrugged and tried to put on a convincing smile.  
  
"I didn't want heaven to be the bathroom," he explained, glad for his gift of critical thinking. Hermione's smile brightened and she kissed him, quick and firm on the lips.  
  
She stepped out of his arms, moving back to her pile of papers. Draco smiled; she wasn't angry. Good sign. Hermione looked up at him from her cross-legged position on the couch. She smirked. "Don't think I don't know what you were doing," she told him and Draco's smile fell a little, but it perked back up when he realized that she was smiling. Draco sighed and walked to sit beside Hermione on the couch, no more than a cushion between them.  
  
"Sorry, I can't help it. Why were you in there, anyway? You hardly ever go in your room," he asked, relaxing his shoulders into a slouch, head bent in something like shame for his behavior.  
  
"Oh, should I have left a note?" she asked and Draco looked to her, unable to tell from her voice if she was angry or not. Hermione was smiling and looking affectionately at him.  
  
"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks," he said and smirked. Hermione shook her head and looked down at the closed packets in her lap, then back to Draco.  
  
"Well, I see THAT lasted a long time," she said, smirking a little.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your shorts, Mr. My-legs-aren't-as-attractive-as-yours." Draco smirked.  
  
"Technically, I'm still wearing shorts. As a matter of fact, I'm always wearing them," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Good to know. If by some freak coincidence we end up in a high stakes game of strip-poker today, you're on my team," she concluded and Draco shook his head. Hermione shrugged and turned back to her packet, still closed on her lap.  
  
"Do they even HAVE teams in poker?" he asked, rather absent mindedly, head on the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. Hermione smiled and let out a quiet giggle.  
  
"No," she said and frowned as she ran her hand over the cover of her packet. Then she lifted the book off her lap and tossed it casually onto the floor. It made a muffled clunk as it hit the stone and Draco quickly looked up to see what the dis-peace was caused by. His eyes went first to the floor, then to Hermione, who was smiling at him, hand still held suspended over the edge of the couch.  
  
"Draco," she said, dropping her hand to her lap. "What do YOU want to do today?" she asked; a sweet smile on her lips that toyed with Draco's mind.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her, not sure what she was hinting at.  
  
"Exactly what I said. When was the last time you did something for yourself? I'm glad that you care about me and want me to be happy, but it's okay to be selfish once in a while. Don't be afraid to ask me for things, Draco, I want to be there for you like you are for me," Hermione explained, looking cheery and pretty as well as serious. Draco blinked in surprise.  
  
"No one has ever really asked me that before," he said, shocked at the simple statement which turned his world view upside down. Hermione reached her hand across to his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.  
  
"Well, I'm asking you now. What do you want?" she asked, smiling. Draco looked almost shocked and didn't know what to say. He turned his head away, mouth slightly open and eyes looking thoughtfully.  
  
Hermione smiled. This was probably going to take a little while and her staring at him couldn't be helping. She leaned over, deliberately putting pressure on his knee, and kissed Draco's cheek.  
  
"Think about it," she whispered, followed by another slow and gentle peck. Hermione kept her hand on Draco's knee as she stood, then let it slide off as she turned away. Draco picked his head up to watch her go and Hermione smiled back at him before she entered the bathroom.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Showered, dressed, and ready for just about anything, Hermione exited the bathroom feeling happy and excited. She had no way to determine what Draco might want to do, or was even sure he would answer her, but the ignorance was enticing. She found him on the couch, in almost the exact position, the classic look of shock still apparent on his face. Hermione giggled and walked back over to the couch, this time sitting much closer to him. He looked up at her when he felt her touch him and she smiled.  
  
"Hey," she said and pecked his cheek again. "Are you alright?" Draco smiled at her question and made a slight nod before sweeping her into a sudden and deep kiss. Hermione was taken by surprise, but it didn't take her long to get into it, and she giggled as it ended. "I guess so," she said with a smile, opening her eyes to look at him. Hermione swung her legs over one of his, leaning against the couch and Draco moved his arm over her to lie on the back of the sofa. Hermione rested her head on his arm and smiled before closing her eyes and moving her hand to Draco's chest, happy just to be casually close to him.  
  
Draco just watched her, looking as if he were surprised that she was even there.  
  
"Why are you so good to me?" he asked, almost in a whisper. Hermione's smile dropped a little and she opened her eyes again. Draco was smiling and whatever worry Hermione held was diminished .  
  
"I'm sorry," she said and closed her eyes, snuggling into him a little.  
  
"Hermione... no one, never...not even my-" he started, but Hermione stopped him.  
  
"Shh..." she whispered, lifting her head to meet eyes with him and touching her lips to his. "You're mine, you know that don't you?" Hermione asked, her lips still close enough to brush against his as she spoke.  
  
"I know," he agreed, not about to deny something so obvious. Hermione smiled and kissed him again, this time longer.  
  
"Good. I won't do wrong by you, Draco. I promise," she said, keeping her eyes closed and her lips close.  
  
"Nor I, you, Hermione," Draco said, also under whatever passion inflicted trance Hermione was victim to. They shared another kiss, this one not as shallow. When they broke apart for the third time, Hermione pulled back a little, resting her head on his arm.  
  
As before, Draco just watched her, happily cuddled to his chest, and was once again surprised with how incredibly light she was. He took a deep breath and pulled his arm around her shoulders. Hermione squirmed a little at his touch and smiled.  
  
"Can I have you?" he asked, gently pulling her close. Hermione snuggled into him and turned her head up, lips close to his ear.  
  
"I'll always be yours," she told him in a whisper. Draco smiled, feeling unbelievably warm and happy, her words like liquid immortality, making him feel as if nothing would ever go wrong as long as that statement held true.  
  
"I love you, Hermione," he told her and she smiled, loving every time he said those words. "So much it hurts sometimes," he finished, kissing her head as she moved it down again.  
  
"Everybody hurts sometimes."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey, Mia?" Draco asked, almost suddenly. Both he and Hermione were in the common room, a few hours since they had awoken. Hermione sat at one end of the couch, cross-legged and reading, while Draco sat at the other end, holding a book but finding himself unable to concentrate on it. Hermione lifted her head a little, but didn't take her eyes off the text.  
  
"Hm?" she said in response, still scanning the page.  
  
"Do you want to go flying with me?" Now Hermione smiled and her eyes stopped, but she still didn't look up.  
  
"Sure," she said casually and Hermione could almost feel the happiness coming from Draco in waves. He smiled, excitedly, and Hermione looked over to him, closing her book. "That wasn't so hard, now, was it?" she asked, a sweet smirk playing on her lips. Draco seemed to think about it, then answered as if he were surprised himself.  
  
"Actually, it was. Not asking, but... thinking of something. In case you didn't notice, it took hours," he pointed out and Hermione made a surprised laugh.  
  
"You were thinking about that this whole time? I thought you'd forgotten, or were just too stubborn to tell me. You DO know that you're holding that book upside-down, right?" Hermione asked with a smirk. Draco looked as if he hadn't heard her and simply placed the book beside him on the couch.  
  
"Yes, I was. That's incredibly pathetic. Hours of contemplation and flying was the best I could come up with," Draco decided, his smile dropping on one side.  
  
"But Draco, you love flying," Hermione argued, placing a hand on Draco's knee again and he smiled.  
  
"I do, but how did you know that, love?" he asked, but not accusingly. Hermione innocently shrugged one shoulder.  
  
"I've seen you fly before, Ace. Never are you happier than when you're airborne," she said, then paused. "Well, maybe with the exception of last night. You know, there never used to be anything in your eyes but hatred and coldness. Except when you were flying. Then, something changed, and there was nothing in them, just emptiness. I'm not sure if that's better, really... but even then, they changed when you were flying. And now, almost suddenly, you let them bare everything. I know what you're feeling even when you're not paying attention. I can't imagine how flying will affect them," she explained and smiled widely, waiting for a reaction.  
  
"Wow, you've paid pretty close attention, haven't you?" Draco said in surprise and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Sort of, but it was rather obvious. So, are we going or not? We're losing daylight," she said and stood, dropping her book on the couch.  
  
"Sure Mia, but there's still about eight hours of daylight; I don't think you have to worry," Draco pointed out and Hermione smiled, then bent down for a quick kiss.  
  
"Unless it takes me sixteen times longer to prepare for flying than it did for our date," she reasoned before walking to her room. Draco smiled and watched her go, then summoned his necessities from his room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Do you fly, Mia? I don't think I've ever seen you," Draco asked as they walked to the Quidditch pitch, holding hands as always. Hermione shrugged a little.  
  
"Only when I have to. I'm not very good; I can go pretty fast, but not very high, and my crappy broom doesn't really help much," she said with a smile. Draco smirked a little and kissed her cheek for no reason other than that he wanted to.  
  
"I guess I know what to get you for Christmas then, don't I?" he said and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No; don't. I'll never use it; I'm scared to death," she said, shuddering a little.  
  
"You're scared and you still want to go with me?" Draco asked, sounding slightly suspicious as well as surprised. Hermione nodded and looked up at him, smiling. Draco kissed her ear and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I don't think I'll be scared this time," she said, bringing her unoccupied hand to cover the other, which was still clasped in Draco's. He smiled and kissed her again behind the ear.  
  
Draco opened the gate for her as they entered the Quidditch arena and Hermione ran a finger down his cheek as she walked past, smiling. Draco followed and took her hand again, leading her to the Slytherin broom shed.  
  
"Hey, didn't you leave your broom in the forest when..." Hermione started, but trailed off before she could finish and Draco squeezed her hand in comfort.  
  
"Yep," he said, letting her hand go and stepping up to the doors.  
  
"Well, what are we going to do; steal one?" she asked, but Draco chuckled a little and shook his head.  
  
"Gryffindor," he said and the shed doors in front of him swung open. "I have more than one, Hermione," he said without looking back to her. Draco walked into the shed as if he owned it and Hermione cautiously followed.  
  
"The password is Gryffindor? I wouldn't have guessed that," she stated, walking up to Draco, who was kneeling in front of a large trunk with the letters DM embossed on the lid in silver. **This was a lot less fun the last time I was doing it,** Draco thought, remembering the night he had forgotten that broom in the forest.  
  
"I think that was the point, love," he said and opened the trunk with ease, the many locks popping open at his touch. Inside were three layers of brooms. The bottom- school issued Clean Sweep and his various low class Nimbuses, the center- higher Nimbuses and other top speed brooms, and on the top, alone, laid one, blue tinted, Cirrus XP, by far the most expensive broom in the box. Hermione's mouth opened a bit at the sight, shocked at the numerous brooms which outranked hers by miles.  
  
"Wow. Now, 'crappy' seems like an underexaggeration," she said and Draco smiled, standing and grabbing the Cirrus.  
  
"I don't think underexaggeration is a word," he pointed out, but Hermione was concentrating on the broom in his hand.  
  
"No, I can not ride that one; it's far too expensive," she stated, eyes on the broom. Draco looked down at it as well, then shrugged.  
  
"Not really; only about a twenty-fifth of my inheritance," he said and pulled the broom completely from the chest. Hermione jumped as the lid automatically snapped closed with a loud bang and the locks clicked shut again.  
  
"Oh, sorry Mia. I should have warned you; are you alright?" Draco asked, placing a hand on her arm.  
  
"Fine," she peeped, her voice a little high, with a smile, hand on her chest. Draco smiled and kissed her before taking her hand and turning to leave. Hermione took one last look at the interior of the shed, taking in every thing from the dark green paint and stone floor to the rows of trunks and closets which lined the walls. Draco's was by far the best made broom receptacle. **And I'd guess the best made broom as well,** Hermione thought with a prick of unease. She really didn't want to ride that particular broom; she'd never heard of a faster model, and, knowing Draco, if it was the best he owned, there wasn't better one.  
  
Although they hadn't been in the shed for more than ten minutes, it was substantially darker outside than it had been when the two had entered. Hermione smiled.  
  
"See, I TOLD you we were losing daylight," she said smartly.  
  
"I stand corrected," Draco admitted, sounding disappointed. Hermione turned to him, noticing immediately that he wasn't smiling.  
  
"Hey, I thought you liked rain," she said, keeping her smile only to let him know that the weather change didn't bother her. Draco turned his head in her direction and donned a smile that matched her own.  
  
"You still want to go?" he asked and Hermione nodded, causing Draco to practically radiate happiness again. Hermione kissed his cheek and started toward the open field, pulling him behind her.  
  
A/N. I stopped here because here marks eleven pages, and I usually only have like ten, with some exceptions. Thanx for reading! How will this flying thing go? Will Snape catch them AGAIN? What next, love or war? We shall see, I do decree.  
  
PRF: I wasn't going to post today, but there we so many wonderful reviews, I though you deserved a reward! Yippie! Funnily enough, almost all the reviews say nearly the same thing! But that's not bad! Thanx to:  
  
Daisy, DracoLuver, Bitter Sanity, tf-chica-824, Sweet Sorrow, Nikki, JoeBob1379, Malfoy, Karly, Envision, Belle, and Hannah Grey.  
  
Yes, I agree on the no-smut thing. Thanx for all the support!  
  
Starry Skies: Yes, I thought so too... plus, I REALLY didn't want to even attempt to do that. Thanx! You're always so nice to me!  
  
Iccess - America: I'm not exactly sure what your trying to tell me here, but I apologize if you are board with my story :o( it's not supposed to be boring! And what's this about snow? You find snow annoying? Oh, boy... :o(  
  
Eliel Radragon: Thanx, and I don't know how I do it so fast... I think it has something to do with never paying attention in class, neglecting my homework, and staying up til at least 11, 2 or so on weekends, every night.... but it's all for the better! Lol. I take my notebook everywhere; it's like my bible or something, lol. And I like their nicknames too. I've gotten both positive and negative feedback on that, but I think the names suite them well, and I'm not changing them. Sorry to anyone that upsets. And I will always and forever keep updating. I hope to finish up this story soon, though, and start work on the sequel, which I keep getting ideas for, but won't allow myself to write until this is completed. Hehe... Oh, and just so you know, I'm a girl, lol. I'd have to say that I'd make one interesting male, though, hehe...  
  
Lirawen: This is just stupid. All I have to say, is that I'm happy that a common hatred of my story and my backers has brought you a new friend. I hope you and j are very happy together. 


	34. Pay No Worship to the Garish Sun

Disclaimer: I do not lay claim to this story, and I do not lay siege to your fortress.  
  
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR: Pay No Worship to the Garish Sun  
  
When she stopped and turned to him, Draco kissed her, gentle and deep. Hermione smiled when it ended and Draco took a step back to mount his broom. He lightly kicked off, letting the broom hover about three feet from the ground, his feet barely grazing the grass. He held out his hand, extending his arm to her, inviting her to join him. Hermione smiled as best she could, trying to mask the terror she felt.  
  
"Coming?" Draco asked, keeping his smile. Hermione walked into Draco's awaiting arms, then turned her back to him, trying to get on as well. Draco smiled and stopped her, spinning her shoulders to face him. Hermione looked a little confused, but still kept her pseudo-smile. "This way," he explained and moved his hands to her waist; gracefully lifting her onto the broom. Hermione just looked into his eyes, falling into them as she had done so many times before and didn't even notice as Draco reached behind her for the broom handle and they slowly began to rise.  
  
Noticing her distant stare, Draco kissed her, quick on the lips, bringing her back to the present. Hermione smiled and blinked, then her eyes drifted down, causing her to realize the position they were in. She gasped and immediately embraced Draco, holding him close for comfort. He took one hand off the broom handle and placed it on her back, attempting to reassure her.  
  
"Whoa, I thought you weren't going to get scared?" Draco said, smirking. Hermione, whose eyes were closed, took a deep breath and loosened her death grip.  
  
"I'm not scared, I just didn't know we were this high," she said, trying to sound convincing.  
  
"Sure, Mia," he said and Hermione lifted her head to look at him.  
  
"I'm not," she insisted, sounding almost stern.  
  
"Of course not," Draco said with a sarcastic smile. Hermione smiled, still holding tight to Draco's robes, and tied her legs around his waist, sliding herself closer to him.  
  
"I'm not," she repeated and Draco kissed her.  
  
"Okay, I believe you. Ready?" he asked and Hermione tightened her grip on his waist.  
  
"As I'll ever be," she said and Draco made sure his arm was safely around her before he shot off, doing laps around the pitch, gradually getting higher. Hermione tried not to be scared, but it was a losing battle. She buried her head into Draco's chest almost immediately, hugging him close to her, and in turn, Draco pressed her against him, slowing down just a little.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked, continuing to slow down. Hermione didn't budge nor loosen her tight grip.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked as if everything was perfectly fine. Draco chuckled a little at the calmness of her voice.  
  
"Too fast?" he asked, kissing the top of her head. Hermione smiled and took another deep breath.  
  
"Just a little," she said quietly, still not letting go. Draco smiled and kissed her head again.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said, then was quiet for a moment. He chuckled a little as he slowed the broom to a very steady and mild speed. "You know; we were going a lot faster the last time you had your legs like that," he said quietly and Hermione felt a surge of anticipation as she remembered 'the last time she had her legs like that.'  
  
"Well, we weren't this far from the ground then, were we?" she reasoned, trying to hold Draco tighter- if that were possible. Draco smiled and kissed her a third time.  
  
"Maybe you weren't, but I was," Draco told her and squeezed her to him for a moment. Hermione smiled and finally relaxed, looking up at him. Draco was smiling and Hermione couldn't help but be happy. The fear she felt at take- off was completely gone, replaced by nothing but concentration on Draco. Before either of them could realize it, they were kissing again. While Hermione wasn't paying attention, Draco had lowered the broom and now the kissing couple were a mere few feet from the ground.  
  
The rain had begun, however light, and bother were totally unaware of it. The kiss was finished and Draco opened his eyes before Hermione did. He looked instantly worried.  
  
"Are you crying, love?" he asked, moving his hand to gently wipe the moisture from her face. Hermione opened her eyes and looked a little surprised.  
  
"Am I?" she asked, bringing her hand to her face as well, surprised to feel the water droplets there. There was a far off and quiet rumble of thunder and both looked in the direction of the sound. "Oh," Hermione said, looking up. "It's raining," she told him and Draco looked up as well, but didn't say anything. Hermione took a deep breath and looked around, happy to see how much closer to the ground they were. She untied her legs, much to Draco's dismay, and let them once again hang from the broom.  
  
"You want to get down?" he asked, sounding a bit disappointed. Hermione kissed him softly and nodded.  
  
"You'll have more fun without me, Ace," she told him, but Draco shook his head. Hermione looked determined and Draco sighed, giving in and descending the few feet to the ground. Hermione smiled as her feet once again touched the ground and she kissed Draco's cheek before swinging her leg back over the broom. Draco smiled and pulled his Cirrus up beside him, then held it out to Hermione.  
  
"Here love, I'll be right back," he said, moving a bit toward the shed.  
  
"No. There is no way in hell I'm taking that," she said, holding up her hands as if afraid. Draco laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I thought you might say that. I'll get you another one," he said and dropped the broom to his side, continuing to the shed.  
  
"No, wait," Hermione stopped him, producing a wand and giving it a flick. A moment later, a scratched and frayed broom flew into her awaiting hand.  
  
"THAT'S your broom?" Draco said, taking a step back toward her for closer inspection. "Man, you weren't kidding."  
  
"Hogwarts standard issue," she said shortly with a smile.  
  
"Hermione, this broom was a laugh when it was new; in seven years, why did you never get an upgrade?" he asked, fingering the tarnished handle.  
  
"Never saw the reason to spend that much money on something I'd never use, I mean, would you buy a skate board if you lived on a desert island?" she asked, smiling. Draco shrugged.  
  
"If my current board was a pop-tart on wheels, yeah, I probably would. Good point, though," he said and kissed Hermione's cheek before mounting his Cirrus. "Are you sure you don't want another one, love?" he asked and Hermione nodded.  
  
"I'm fine, Ace. Go show off; you know you want to," she said and Draco kissed her again. He took off at lighting speed, shooting straight up until he was barely visible, then came back down again, swooping around Hermione before flying off to do laps around the pitch.  
  
Hermione smiled and watched him for a few minutes, amazed at how fast he could go and all the complicated moves he made. Then, she reluctantly mounted her broom, kicked off, and climbed to about 20ft. Looking down, Hermione smiled. **That's high enough for me,** she thought, taking a semi- deep breath, then finally took off. Her speed was nothing compared to the blur she assumed was Draco, but she flew well for someone on that poor excuse for a broomstick.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco flew for what seemed like forever, until he had gotten the need for speed out of his system. He stopped and swooped down, looking for Hermione. When he saw her, Draco couldn't help but be amazed. She wasn't doing any little flips and spins like he had done, but she was speeding around the outside of the pitch, going unbelievably fast. Draco watched her until Hermione sped past him, apparently not even noticing that he was there. He smiled and took off in a chase, catching up to her quickly.  
  
As Draco flew up beside her, Hermione still didn't notice him. He was about to say something, but decided against it. He lowered himself so that he was below her, then ran the back of his hand over her partially bare calf. Hermione stopped dead on her broom and Draco did the same not much later, turning so that his broom tip was facing Hermione. Draco waved guiltily and Hermione smiled, flying up beside him.  
  
"Can I help you with something?" she asked with a smirk, but then smiled, unable to keep a straight face.  
  
"Yes, actually," he said and brought a hand to her face, pulling her into a deep kiss. Hermione wanted to wrap her arms around him, or reach a hand into his hair, but she dare not take a finger off the broom handle.  
  
The rain had gotten much harder, but neither of the airborne lovers seemed to notice until their kiss had ended. Draco pulled away slowly, still holding Hermione's face in his hand. Hermione widely smiled for a moment, then smirked.  
  
"That's it? You broke my concentration for THAT?" she asked and Draco's smile fell a little, but he realized she was kidding and matched her smirk quickly.  
  
"Well, there was something else... but it took me so long to get your attention that I've forgotten what it was," he told her and Hermione almost blushed.  
  
"Well then," she said, cautiously taking one hand from the broom and taking Draco's hand from her cheek. She leaned in as far as she dared to and Draco met her lips with force. When they broke apart this time, Hermione was instantly smirking. "I'm glad I could be of service," she said and took off without warning, continuing her circles around the arena. Draco shook his head and followed her, once again coming up underneath her.  
  
"Who said I was done with you?" he called playfully and Hermione smiled down at him, then looked up to watch where she was going.  
  
"I was damn well done with you," she called back, not looking down. Draco smirked and flew up, still underneath her, causing Hermione to push higher to avoid collision. "Draco! That's not funny... stop it!" she said, almost in panic.  
  
"Hermione, who do you take me for? I'll catch you if you fall, and the higher you go, the more time I have to do so."  
  
"Yeah, and the better chance I have of combusting on impact," she reasoned, sounding scared as Draco pushed her higher.  
  
"Listen to yourself! Do you really think I'd let you fall? And I'm a seeker, remember? I dare say, you're a might bit bigger than a snitch my dear," he said and Hermione seemed to finally believe him.  
  
"I am? Really? Do you think I should diet?" she asked, now increasing altitude with minimal resistance.  
  
"I think you technically have to eat before you can manage your consumption levels, love," Draco said and Hermione's smile dropped. She stopped mid-air again, this time looking hurt and angry. Draco's smile became history and he felt the sick prickle of panic in his stomach which always accompanied his infuriating remarks. "Mia?" he asked nervously, but Hermione's only answer was a head shake. She bolted for the castle before Draco could fully realize what he had said to upset her.  
  
He followed her, catching up quickly and trying to get Hermione to talk to him.  
  
"Mia! What did I say? Hermione, please talk to me; I'm sorry," he tried, but Hermione ignore him; mouth a harsh line and eyes on her destination. "Hermione!" Draco said and reached a hand to touch her leg again.  
  
"Don't touch me," she snapped, facing him with cold eyes. Draco retracted his hand immediately, letting Hermione fly directly to their balcony. She landed smoothly, walking straight into her room, not even looking back at Draco, who stood wet and depressed on the balcony.  
  
Draco tried to stop her, but he couldn't. As the lock clicked on the door, Draco sighed and hung his head, knowing he had messed up pretty bad this time. He shuffled toward his own balcony door, looking in her window for just a moment; enough to see her curl up on her bed and start to cry. He tore his eyes away; the piercing pain in his heart unbearable. Draco hated to ever see Hermione cry, and knowing right now that she was hurting and it was his fault made him want to scream. The worst part was, he wasn't entirely sure what he had done and knew not how to apologize.  
  
Draco walked to his room and placed his Cirrus in the closet before walking into the common room and straight to Hermione's door. He could hear her stifled sobs through the flimsy woodwork and each one bit into him like a bear trap on his heart. Draco took a breath, then knocked quietly on the door.  
  
"Hermione? Please love; I'm sorry," he said, hoping against hop that she would come out, but knowing that it wouldn't be that easy. He jumped as something hard was thrown at the door, then took a deep breath and sighed. He sat down on the floor, leaning back against the door.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione fell into bed the second she entered her room, giving into the tears she had been holding back since he had said those words. It was less than a minute before he knocked on the door, but Hermione was far from ready to forgive or even talk to him yet, and she threw the nearest thing toward the entrance. Normally, Hermione would never have disrespected 'The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe' like that, but this was a very stressful situation. Draco said nothing after the loud bang, but Hermione knew he was still out there.  
  
She reached under her bed and felt around the tiny shelf that was there before extracting a ring-box sized package. She pulled her wand from her pocket and pointed it at the small treasure, which instantly grew with the flick that followed. It was her stash. Hermione opened the glorious box of Honeyduke's chocolates and extracted one after another, drowning her pain in rich confection.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco, however, did not have that pleasure. He waited for hours, hoping Hermione would come out, but finding that she was pretty stubborn. He lost himself in books and apparation packets, eating primarily from the forgotten bowl of fruit which had once sat on the mantle, but was now stationed beside their box of tissues. Everything he needed, Draco summoned, not wanting to leave his spot. It hadn't taken him long to discover what he had said to upset her, but he hadn't know it would have this affect.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione lay in bed with a book, not reading as much as thinking. She knew that Draco was still outside her door and it almost made her smile, but then she remembered why she was angry and all possibility that Hermione might open the door disappeared.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
As dusk rolled in, Hermione found herself slightly sick from over consumption of chocolate and, Draco, himself exhausted and sore from his floor level position. Draco had been sitting there for almost five hours and he would gladly stay there all night if necessary. To his surprise, however, Hermione opened the door at about nine thirty, clad in a sweatshirt and long pajama bottoms; probably the most unrevealing sleepwear she owned.  
  
Draco fell backward at the unexpected removal of his backrest, but Hermione ignored this and stepped over both him and his books, then walked into his room, leaving the door open. Draco, who was now fully awake, sighed and stood, attempting to ignore the aches and pains.  
  
He walked cautiously to the open doorway and peeked inside to see Hermione on her back in bed, arms crossed and eyes on the ceiling.  
  
"Hermione?" Draco asked and Hermione didn't miss a beat before speaking.  
  
"As much as I hate to admit it, I'm terrified of that room at night," she told him, not looking away from the ceiling nor changing her facial expression. Draco nodded, happy she was at least speaking to him again.  
  
"Do you want me to sleep on the couch?" he offered, sounding sad and guilty. Hermione blinked and looked to him for a moment before reverting her gaze.  
  
"No. I still can't sleep without you," she said and Draco smiled, straightening up at her request. "But I'm still mad at you; this doesn't change it," she reminded him and Draco nodded, his frown sneaking back.  
  
"Perfectly understandable," he said and sighed. "I'll be back in a minute," he told her and headed to the bathroom.  
  
Hermione, who had used a spell to brush her teeth, ran her tongue along them, liking the clean feeling they had. She waited unmoving for Draco, realizing for the first time that she shouldn't have been so harsh to him. He returned after only a few minutes, dressed in his usual sleep ensemble. Draco didn't exactly look happy, but he seemed more than willing to go to bed with Hermione. He crawled into bed, not expecting much.  
  
"Draco, why do you brush your teeth? There are spells so you don't have to," Hermione asked, sounding almost normal, other than her stiff and defensive stance.  
  
"I don't know. Why do you?" he asked, a bit unset by her tone of voice.  
  
"My parents are dentists," she stated in answer and Draco nodded.  
  
"There are spells so you don't have to do anything. Life would be pretty pointless if you just sat in one place and used magic for everything," she told her, his head turned toward her, eyes locked on her profile.  
  
"That's true," she agreed, taking a deep breath. Hermione wanted to look at him, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. She knew he as sorry and she didn't know why she was being so stubborn, but she couldn't help it. Draco sighed and tried once again to apologize.  
  
"Mia, I'm sorry," he said again, and even dared to reach a hand to touch her arm.  
  
"I know," she said, but didn't sound forgiving.  
  
"I didn't mean it... I didn't think it would hurt you like that," he told her and Hermione took a breath; it was obvious that she was on the verge of tears.  
  
"Didn't think it would hurt me? You think I'm anorexic; how am I supposed to feel- grateful?" she said, trying to sound angry, but managing only hurt and betrayal.  
  
"No, Hermione I-"  
  
"I've been eating twice as much since you said something last time, but you didn't even notice. I haven't gained weight, but I haven't lost any either. Why does everyone seem to think I have a problem? I don't; I swear I don't," she said, unable to stop her tears. Draco felt a little panicky, not liking the situation at all. Forgetting her command, Draco crawled closer to Hermione, placing a hand on her cheek and gently wiping away her tears.  
  
"I know, love... that's why I didn't think it would hurt you. If I thought there was something wrong, don't you think I would have done more than just comment when it conveniently came up in conversation? I'm sorry, Hermione. If you still want to be mad at me, I'll understand... but I wish you wouldn't," Draco told her and Hermione looked at him; looked into his eyes for the first time since she ran away from him.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered, closing her yes and turning her head into Draco's hand. Draco gave her a soft kiss on the lips, trying to comfort her.  
  
"Shh... It's okay, Mia," he said and kissed her again, then started to move away.  
  
"No, stay with me," Hermione pleaded, trying to hold him to her. Draco smiled and gingerly rested himself beside her, his head placed next to hers.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, keeping his hand on her cheek. Hermione smiled and brought her hands to hold his arm close to her. Draco kissed behind Hermione's ear; he had forgotten how much he loved to do that. "I love you," he told her and she snuggled her face into his hand. Draco waited a moment, then spoke again. "Hermione?"  
  
"Mmm," she answered, tuning her face to him and opening her eyes. She smiled at Draco, who was looking relieved. He kissed her lips almost nervously, but Hermione wiped away his fear as she kissed back.  
  
"I love you," he repeated and Hermione smiled before kissing him again.  
  
"I love you too," she told him, keeping her eyes closed. Draco smiled as Hermione turned her head away again, facing the ceiling with a contented smile. He kissed behind her ear, letting his lips linger there long after the initial peck was finished. Neither could think of anything more to say and both remained silent until together they fell asleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione woke the next morning feeling warm and comfortable, curled up beneath the blankets. She took a deep breath and fluttered her eyes open, expecting to see Draco asleep beside her, but was surprised to find the bed nearly empty. Hermione nearly gasped in surprise and shot into a sitting position, looking around the room for her blonde boyfriend. Unsurprisingly, he was no where to be seen.  
  
"Draco!" she called, not caring if he thought her overprotective. There was no answer. Hermione bit her lip and looked to where she knew Draco should be, pointlessly hoping he would be there. Of course, he wasn't, but there was a tiny note taped in his place. Hermione sighed in relief; the note at least meant that he was okay. She quickly picked the parchment from the pillow and read it, still subconsciously biting her lip.  
  
"Mia,  
  
I went to visit Evan; I should be back by nine thirty, at the latest. I love you.  
  
-Ace"  
  
At first, Hermione couldn't believe what she was reading. **Why would he want to see Evan? I hope he doesn't do anything stupid...**. She read and re-read the note, hoping her eyes were deceiving her. Then, Hermione slapped her forehead, disbelieving of her ignorance. **He's shopping you mindlessly accusing git. Totally innocent!** she thought and fell backward on the bed.  
  
A quick glance at Draco's alarm told her that he was due back in any minute. She sighed, deciding to stay in bed until he got home, her only regret being that he was not there now. Hermione closed her eyes, thinking how strange it was that Draco was up so early, that she had slept so late, and amazed that she could sleep so long without him there.  
  
Draco landed his Cirrus on the balcony only minutes later and Hermione heard his rather un-stealthy return, smirking and silently deciding to pretend that she was asleep.  
  
Draco slowly opened the door, eyes locked on the bed, attempting to determine if Hermione was asleep. Deciding that she was, Draco opened the door, fully but quietly, entering the room and sliding open the closet, dropping his purchases and gently placing his broom inside. Then, he turned back toward the bed, dropping his overcoat on the nearest chair and leaning in to inspect his girl. He smiled as he looked at Hermione, hair falling into his eyes, then shook his head.  
  
"You are SUCH a bad faker," he said and Hermione smiled, then opened her eyes.  
  
"Can I help you with something?" she asked groggily and Draco smirked, knowing what she expected. He paused for effect, then shrugged.  
  
"Nope," he said, extinguishing her hopes of another kiss. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Fine then," she said, rolling away from him and pretending to go back to sleep. Draco shook his head with a smile, knowing she was just playing. Draco stood from his crouch, walked to the other side of the bed, and crawled in, feeling happy as a wide smile snuck across Hermione's face. He settled down beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "So, how's Evan?" she asked, keeping her eyes closed and fixing her grin into a smirk. Draco lightly chuckled.  
  
"Good. He's engaged, did you know?" Draco told her, smirking as well and badly wanting to kiss her, cursing himself for passing up the opportunity as he ran a hand down her arm.  
  
"Oh?" Hermione said, purposely dropping her smile and trying to sound as disappointed as possible without truly feeling it.  
  
"Yep," Draco said, knowing she was faking, then sighed for effect. "Mmm... and she's gorgeous. I think her name was Corsica. I like that." Hermione was tempted to open her eyes and glare at him, but she kept them closed and sighed.  
  
"Are you sure it wasn't Medusa?" she asked, dead-tone and relaxed. Draco smiled.  
  
"Is someone jealous?" he asked suspiciously and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Well... yeah," she said as if it were the most obvious and understandable thing in the world. Draco laughed and, unable to fight it any longer, leaned over and kissed her, sweet and soft on the lips.  
  
"That's... sweet of you," he said, smiling. Hermione opened her eyes after the kiss and smiled, glad he had finally done it. She had been waiting for that since he came in.  
  
"Well, Mr. I'm-jealous-of-every-other-male-on-the-planet, other than the Bubble Tramp, Corsica is the only material I've got; even if she is just a figment of your imagination," Hermione babbled, smiling lovingly at him.  
  
"I have a pretty realistic imagination if that's what she was. I'd hate to see what that scene must really have looked like if in fact Evan wasn't snogging with a girl." Hermione blinked.  
  
"You actually DID go see Evan?" she asked, eyes on the smiling Head Boy beside her. Draco shrugged.  
  
"Among other things," he said, sounding apathetic. He knew what her next question would be and he was contemplating an appropriate answer.  
  
"Why?" she asked and Draco smiled slightly as his prediction proved true.  
  
"Socks for Mum," he answered, mock-proudly for seemly no reason; it wasn't something to be proud of. Hermione looked disbelieving and smiled warningly. Draco laughed. "Fristy and Clara. Evan and she were making out, she had a ring, and he called her 'Corsica-baby. I put two and two together," he said, then smiled. "Are you terribly upset?" Hermione ignored his last comment, barely hearing it as the smirk once again settled in.  
  
"You know Ace, we make out and you gave me a ring, but we're not engaged. Maybe you read into it," she said and Draco smirked for a split second.  
  
"We're not?" he asked innocently, adding in some mock surprise. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Do you ever remember saying, 'Hermione, will you marry me?'?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"Yep," he answered simply and Hermione blinked, clearly not expecting that.  
  
"Oh really? News to me. And what did I say?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Draco kept his smile and shrugged.  
  
"I always wake up right before you answer," he told her and Hermione smiled sweetly.  
  
"Then we're not engaged; we just do everything married people do behind closed doors," Hermione said, rolling herself away from him again, only to move herself closer afterward. Draco wrapped his arm around her as he had done countless times, and smiled.  
  
"Without the inconvenience of locking them to keep the kids from walking in," Draco said and she laughed, snuggling into him. Hermione paused for a good thirty seconds before she smiled.  
  
"You know, Draco; if we were to have kids, they'd be damn good looking," she said, closing her eyes and attempting to picture what these said children might look like. Draco smiled.  
  
"That'll never happen if you keep pissing off Fate," he told her, kissing behind her ear.  
  
"I'll make a mental note to stop that," she said, her eyes closed as she now focused on the feeling of his lips on her skin. Draco continued and Hermione remained silent for a while, then spoke again. "Draco, is Corsica more attractive than I am?" she asked, almost suddenly, and felt Draco's kisses abruptly stop.  
  
"Well... I hope Evan thinks so," he tried, squeezing her hand and trying to play it smooth. He really didn't think Corsica was that attractive at all; he had just been teasing.  
  
"I don't care what Evan thinks, I care what you think. Do YOU think she's prettier than me?" she asked, almost nervously. Draco smiled as he suddenly knew exactly what to say.  
  
"No, love. No one is prettier than you. I think you soaked up all the pretty and are hording it for yourself, guiltlessly flaunting it for all the hollow ugly beings that remain, and laughing as they jealously gawk at your beauty," he told her, smiling along with her as her grin grew wide.  
  
"I love you," she told him, melting as Draco re-began his kisses. All was silent for a while, save Hermione's exponential breathing.  
  
"Why?" he asked, not stopping his lips.  
  
"What?" Hermione said quietly, too caught up in the kisses to pay much attention to anything else.  
  
"Why do you love me?" he asked quietly, but at the same time serious. Hermione smiled and moved her shoulder so that it buried into him, making her feel protected and safe.  
  
"I don't know..... I really don't. I love your unpredictability and the way you always seem to leave me speechless. You make me feel protected and loved even when you're not trying. Just being like this with you makes me feel safer than anywhere else I could possibly be.  
  
"I even love the smartass comments you make, pretending that you think they'll piss me off, but knowing that it will make me smile. I love it when you touch me. Even if it's just for a moment and even if it's by accident. I find myself constantly savoring the moment when I'm with you, Draco.  
  
"I love every second of our time together...... And you loving me helps a little as well; I've never felt loved before," she said, all very slowly, letting Draco hang on her every word.  
"I love you too, Hermione, and not just because you soaked up all the pretty... however that was very nice and I think you," Draco said and kissed her again before continuing. "You're different; like you were set aside form everyone. You were never afraid of me like every other girl I've ever met; even when I'm angry, I don't scare you.  
  
"You have no idea how incredible it feels NOT to be feared by someone when you're used to getting exactly the opposite reaction from everyone. I love it when you're happy; I live to make you smile. It rips my heart out when I make you angry; twice if I make you cry. And you trust me. I've never been close enough to anyone to even be in a situation in which I needed to be trusted.  
  
"You mean the world to me, Hermione. You're the better part of me; I'm just an empty shell without you," Draco finally finished, speaking equally slowly and truthfully as Hermione had.  
  
She just listened to Draco, keeping her eyes closed and smiling, lips pressed against their clasped hands like it were her only source of life. Hermione sighed a little as Draco finished and began to kiss her neck again. Draco smiled as he felt her light breath on his hand.  
  
"Do you want to know what I regret more than anything?" he asked in a whisper and Hermione turned her head as if to give her ear better access to his voice. Draco smiled. "Our first kiss," he said and Hermione's smile dropped in unison with her eyes popping open. She turned her shoulders to get a better look at him.  
  
"What? Why?" she asked, sounding sad despite Draco's smile.  
  
"Because it shouldn't have happened," he told her. Hermione just looked at him, mouth hung open, searching his eyes without knowing what she was looking for. Draco let the pause sit a little longer than intended, just to keep the suspense. "Not then," he continued and Hermione blinked, utterly confused.  
  
"N-Not then?" she asked small-ly, searching for some sort of explanation. Draco shook his head.  
  
"No. It should have happened seven years ago," he explained and Hermione sighed away as much of the unease that would willingly leave her. A large portion of stragglers were left behind, not fully sure what Draco was trying to say. "I had seven years I could have used to make you smile... but instead I used them to make you cry. That is my biggest regret," he finished and Hermione let the fear all slide away, no longer needing it to protect her. Hermione closed her eyes and took a semi-deep breath.  
  
"I really wish you wouldn't do that; you scared me half to death," she said, smiling again. Draco took the opportunity to claim her lips, reminding himself of exactly what he had been missing the past seven years.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered as their lips re-parted.  
  
"You know, Ace... if it makes you feel any better; you never made me cry. If I was in a good mood, I almost enjoyed your teasing. I've always thought that 'mudblood' was actually a rather humorous word. Mud. Blood. They rhyme. That's funny," she said, not laughing, but obviously happy and serious. Draco smiled.  
  
"Really?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Really. Sometimes you DID hurt my feelings, but I never cried over it. I was usually too busy helping Harry keep Ron from jumping you to think about what you actually said," she told him and Draco smiled as convincingly as possible before giving up and just kissing her.  
  
A/N Title from Romeo and Juliet; Juliet says;  
  
"Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun. O, I have bought the mansion of a love But not possessed it, and , though I am sold, Not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day As is the night before some festival To an impatient child that hath new robes And may not wear them."  
  
For all of you who don't speak Shakespeare; this was just after Romeo and Juliet were wed, and she is waiting for him to come to her room, not knowing that he has just killed her cousin (Tybalt, who killed Mercutio... BIG misunderstanding) and has been banished. She's basically saying that she's REALLY horny and she wants him to hurry up and bring her some lovin'! Don't you love it when old guys write about sex? Yeah, me too.  
  
PRF: Okay, once again, the reviews were killing me to be answered, so here's another chapter. Phew, I can't believe I wrote all of chapter 39, just so I could stay 5 ahead, boy...  
  
CBsha: Thanx for giving me another chance! But I agree; my first few chapters sucked like no other...haha  
  
Bitter Sanity: I try to use each name to create feeling, like, if it's a serious scene, I use first name, if it's a joking scene, I use nicknames, if it's a comforting scene, he says love and she says Draco, so it's like: "No, Hermione, I would never use you for anything." "Yes Mia, if anyone loves me, it's your cat." "Don't worry, love. We'll figure something out." That sort of thing, do you see? Yeah.  
  
Hasapi: Wow, lots of talking... scary really... most directed not at me, lol, which is okay. G2say though, this whole Lirawen thing is getting on my nerves a bit... I wish she'd just drop it already.  
  
Envision: That's all I ask, is for a r/r. Thanx! I'm glad you like it, hehe!  
  
Joebob1379: Yeah I know, some people just read into things too much... I mean, it's FANFICTION for crying out loud, not the freakin rewrite of the constitution. Who cares if there isn't much to it and it's full of fluff? That's what a pillow is, and we all like pillows. Oh, and I expect that twenty note in cash, thank you... lol.  
  
Lily Rainwater: Thanx again and again. You're being nice again! Hehe! **is flattered** ;o)  
  
Snapegirl: Yes! I like the nicknames too! Go us! Lol.  
  
Sucker for HermioneDraco: Yes, we all are. I want numerous snowdays.... I only got one :o( lucky...  
  
Lirawen: No, I'm not really sick of YOU, I'm just sick of this stupid little game we play. As for whom you are, I am completely dispassionate. And yes, I do realize that I was a little harsher on you than this J character, and I apologize. Yes, I too know how to apologize when I've made a mistake, despite what you may have been implying. I know I overreacted, and I learned from my mistake. See? You have taught me something. Plus, I didn't really want to make another mortal enemy. And once again, not to be degrading, but it's writer, not writter. It might be good to learn to spell the words in a language you use to write with, even if it isn't your mother- tongue. Oh, and nice mental pictures there at the end... very... well, we won't get into that.  
  
Starry Skies: Hehe, you always say that! Ron comes in for a short scene on Christmas Eve, but for the most part they stay out of it until they come back for term. You do get to meet some fun new characters though, including the Grangers. Does anyone know if they every actually SAID the names of Mione's parents? I just made them up, but if you know, please enlighten me.  
  
K: Haha, more MIB lingo. That's cute, J + K, just like Jay and Kay in the movie... haha. Was that your stroke of genius or a coincidence? But anyway, I would like to officially welcome you to the 'We Hate Passion Police Because We're Conspirational Against Her and It's Fun' club. Aka: WHPWCAHIF. Members: J, K and Lirawen. Would you prefer to be V.P. or treasurer? I think it's obvious that Lirawen is president.  
  
Ashley023: Cool! Although you say you are in the middle, so by the time you read this it will be outdated, but that's alright. Thanx for reading! 


	35. Serpent Heart, Hid with a Flow’ring Face

Disclaimer: (Tybalt) Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: Thou art a villain. (Romeo) Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain I am none. Therefore, farewell. I see thou knowest me not.  
  
And that goes for all of you! You knowest me NOT, so don't damn criticize me so damn harshly! Okay, I'm not talking to anyone in particular... or maybe I am. You know who you are. Also, I don't really own anything, just thought I'd add that in there.  
A/N Okay, this time I stopped in a REALLY bad place, but I couldn't help it because there was just no good place to stop! For those of you reading this as an update, here's a little memory refresher:  
  
Last time on FOE:  
  
"You know, Ace... if it makes you feel any better; you never made me cry. If I was in a good mood, I almost enjoyed your teasing. I've always thought that 'mudblood' was actually a rather humorous word. Mud. Blood. They rhyme. That's funny," she said, not laughing, but obviously happy and serious. Draco smiled.  
  
"Really?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Really. Sometimes you DID hurt my feelings, but I never cried over it. I was usually too busy helping Harry keep Ron from jumping you to think about what you actually said," she told him and Draco smiled as convincingly as possible before giving up and just kissing her.  
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE: Serpent Heart, hid with a Flow'ring Face  
  
"Thanks for that," Draco said, smiling. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and smirked at him.  
  
"I didn't do it for you; I did it for him," she reminded him and Draco laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I know, but thanks anyway," he said and kissed her once again.  
  
"Mm!" she said as the end of the kiss drew near. "That reminds me; I have to go to the owlry today. I've put this off too long; I'll have some angry people after me," she said, but was still smiling.  
  
"I though you weren't going to tell them until term?" Draco asked, not really surprised that she changed her mind. Hermione smiled.  
  
"This way they'll be cooled off a little before I have to confront them," she explained and Draco smiled, his head already buried into her neck.  
  
"Do you really think they'll be that angry?" he asked between kisses.  
  
"No, but they won't be overly excited," she said, turning so that she was fully on her back. Draco smiled and brought his lips back to hers. Hermione gladly kissed back and ran her hand along his arm to his shoulder. The gentle kiss ended quickly and Draco plunged smoothly into her neck, relaxing himself next to her. Hermione smiled and concentrated on his touch, revisiting the sweet abyss she so often found herself falling into.  
  
"You could beat Harry if you wanted to," she said quietly, eyes fluttering open. Draco paused only a moment to speak before continuing the soft skin kisses.  
  
"What?" he asked as if he hadn't heard her.  
  
"Quidditch," Hermione explained, turning her head away, giving him slightly better access. "You're better than him; you could win if you tried," she told him as Draco moved his lips up and under her jawbone. Then, he stopped, bringing his head up so he could look at her. Hermione turned her head back toward him, opening her eyes.  
  
"I know, but what would that get me?" he asked and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Oh, I don't know...self confidence, a sense of accomplishment, the respect of your peers," she listed with a smile and Draco matched it.  
  
"But that's just it. Everyone would hate the evil Slytherin git who showed up the great and glorious Harry Potter," he pointed out and Hermione couldn't help but see his point.  
  
"I told you, you're not evil," she scolded and Draco smirked.  
  
"Oh, right..... but your term doesn't sound as intimidating."  
  
"I don't think you need more methods of intimidation, my dear. You could hush a mandrake with one of your 'I hate you' glares," Hermione said, smiling. Draco smirked.  
  
"So I've still got it, do I?" he said smugly and Hermione laughed, then changed the subject back to Quidditch, something she never thought she'd do, what with all her excruciating conversations with Ron on the topic.  
  
"The Slytherins would love you if you won, Ace. Slytherin hasn't won a game against Gryffindor in like three years," she reminded him and Draco nodded.  
  
"I know; I was there. Nobody cares when we win against Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw... well, except us... winning against Gryffindor means at least a day of shunning and evil looks from all the other houses. It's just easier this way. Plus, it's almost funny how Harry gets all excited every time he wins, as if he didn't know it was going to happen," Draco explained and Hermione smiled.  
  
"He looks like that when he wins heads-or-tails." Hermione smiled and Draco laughed. "I see your point, but you still shouldn't just let him win EVERY game. I say you kick his arse in the next one. It won't matter anyway in the long run; no Quidditch cup, after all. And I'd like to see the look on his face," she said with a semi-evil smirk. Draco kissed it away, then smirked.  
  
"Now Mia; what would that do to our budding friendship?" he asked innocently, trying to look thoughtful. Hermione laughed.  
  
"I think, to be friends, you actually have to talk to each other. Did you say one sentence, or two at Ron's? The most you said at one time was to ask me what time it was, and half of that was apologizing," she pointed out with a sweet smile.  
  
"I wouldn't even have said that if I didn't want you to be the one to tell them we had to go, but I've talked to Harry before. Do you forget the day he showed up at our doorstep, looking pissed off and impatient? We had some deep conversations that day," he reminded her and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Yes; making jokes about Snape can really bring people together," she said, remembering their chatter as they sat in the common room.  
  
"Oh!" Draco said as he moved to sit up. "Speaking of Snape, guess who I saw in Hogsmeade this morning," he dared and Hermione smiled, speaking before he could continue.  
  
"Snape? Was he snogging with a Malfoy-born Athena too? Interesting day you've had, isn't it?" she said, sarcastic on purpose, a little disappointed at the loss of contact.  
  
"Good job; now I have mental images of Snape snogging a goddess. Just what I'd want right before breakfast... But no, actually. I DID see Snape, but he wasn't in a good enough mood to even double glance at a pretty girl. You'll never believe what happened," he said, shaking his head and smiling as if he thought Snape were pathetic.  
  
"Okay, now I'm curious," she said, sitting up herself, smiling as the warm air of the room kissed her newly moistened neck.  
  
"He gave me detention," Draco said, not looking up or dropping his smile.  
  
"For what, breathing?" she asked, surprised and mildly outraged.  
  
"Something like that. Maybe loitering," he said and shrugged, not nearly as upset as Hermione.  
  
"Well? What happened?" she asked impatiently. Draco would have laughed, but what he was planning to explain made that action impossible.  
  
"It was weird. He saw me, asked me where you were, and gave me detention. I told him you were sleeping and he looked almost betrayed. Then, he gave me the details and walked away. He didn't even make me come back to the castle, just left me there," he told her, looking down, away from her face.  
  
"He sought you out just to ask where *I* was?" Hermione asked, looking a little shaken.  
  
"That's how it appeared, yes. Don't ask me why, I'm just as surprised as you are," Draco told her. "And when informed that you were alone, he thought quickly to punish me," he said, shrugging his shoulders and looking a little more unhappy than he had been.  
  
"Weird. So, when have you the obligation to be enslaved?" she asked, shrugging as well, but looking unmoved.  
  
"That's it? You're just going to let it go like that?" Draco asked, surprised.  
  
"Draco, Snape is freaking me out so badly lately that I'm not even going to allow myself to think about this. Now, where and when, pray tell?" she demanded, sounding stern but gentle, not wanting him to get a false impression of her mood.  
  
"Dungeons at seven, tonight," he answered, knowing it was no use arguing with her.  
  
"Hmm," she said with a sigh, and then Hermione looked down, appearing to be in deep thought. She smiled and turned her head to Draco. "Has Snape EVER given you a detention before?" she asked, mock suspicious. Draco smiled.  
  
"I don't think so," he replied, actually thinking back and trying to recall a time when he would disobey the potions master. "That thing with the window was McGonagall. Snape was only there because of Neville; a trite explosion in Potions, I believe." Hermione giggled and Draco smiled, glad she was happy again.  
  
"I wouldn't doubt that," she said and moved her hand to his, which was laying face up and forgotten on the bed between them. Hermione kept her eyes down, smiling as she watched their fingers entwine and slide together. There was a long silence, both just smiling and paying most of their attention to their hands. Draco turned to look at her, awed by the innocently obliviant look her face held. He smiled, his mind taking him back to their date, the way she looked before they left the city imprinted in his memory like a cloud imprints the sky.  
  
"Do you still want to move to Seattle, love?' he asked innocently, breaking the silence. Hermione's smile grew at his words and she happily sighed.  
  
"I can dream," she replied, eyes still on their hands.  
  
"It doesn't have to be a dream," Draco said and Hermione turned to him, but didn't lift her eyes. She almost laughed, but caught herself.  
  
"Don't get my hopes up; that won't happen. Even if there wasn't this whole teaching thing coming up, I'm still a minor. My parent's would never let me go.... but it would be great, wouldn't it?" she said dreamily, smiling as the pancake scene ran through her mind again. Draco, who was trying to be convincing, tried to think of a solution to all these problems.  
  
"Okay, so we'll wait until next summer. You'll be eighteen, legally able to leave, and your parents will know me by then. I don't know about you, but I refuse to spend the rest of my life in this bloody castle; especially if it's just us two. None of the other teachers stay; why should we?" he proposed, smiling at his quick logic. Hermione smiled as well, glad he was trying to make her happy.  
  
"Next summer is a long time, Ace," she said almost sadly, speaking the nickname to prove that she wasn't upset at his request. Draco didn't say anything, not sure exactly why she was being so pessimistic. He turned his gaze back to their hands, innocently joined as if they were meant to be that way.  
  
Hermione waited a moment, then sighed. She looked up, but Draco kept his eyes fixed down. Although a bit unnerved by his blank stare, Hermione leaned closer and placed a quick kiss on his lips, then moved out of bed, unlocking their hands. She stood, walked to the door, and turned back to Draco with a smile, only to have it drop when she saw him.  
  
"Draco?" she asked, He hadn't moved at all, now staring at his limp and empty palm as if it had betrayed him. At the sound of Hermione's voice, Draco's steady gaze broke and he turned to look at her, a slight smile on his face. "Alright?" she continued, eyebrows drawn together.  
  
"Yes, of course, love," he said, sounding like his mood had been flipped entirely. Hermione seemed a bit skeptical, but didn't further question him. She tried to smile for Draco's sake, then turned back and slipped though the door. **She just doesn't want to get her heart broken,** Draco heard himself think and sighed. **And I don't blame her.**  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Although he had already taken one before leaving that morning, Draco decided to shower after brunch. Hermione had done so as soon as she got out of bed, as had become customary, and was curled up on the sofa, as close to the fire as possible without charring the edges of her book.  
  
Draco quietly emerged from the bathroom, running a hand through his newly cleansed locks. Immediately, he noticed Hermione, tightly curled with her deep red Gryffindor blanked draped around her. Draco smiled to himself and quietly came up behind her, looking at the book in her hands and reading over her shoulder. Then, Draco's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Mia, what are you READING?" he questioned and Hermione gasped, pulling the book to her chest, obviously not realizing he was standing behind her.  
  
"Draco! God, you just LOVE sneaking up on me, don't you?" she scolded, taking a few breaths to calm herself. Draco smiled and kissed behind her ear.  
  
"Don't change the subject, love," he whispered back and Hermione giggled, moving the book back to reading position.  
  
"I have a soft spot for trashy romance, so sue me," she explained and brought her eyes from the book to catch Draco's reaction. To her surprise, he merely smirked. "Okay, maybe that wasn't the best choice of words, but you know what I meant. Must you always keep your mind in the gutter?" she said, rolled her eyes and smiled.  
  
"I'm afraid so. My mind was born in the gutter, eats, sleeps, and dreams in the gutter, and if I have anything to do with it, my mind will die in the gutter." Hermione made no comment and Draco shook his head at her, then kissed her ear once more. "Humph. There is still so much I don't know about you, love," he told her, thinking about the book again, and Hermione smiled.  
  
"You have no idea," she said and turned a bit toward him, letting her cheek brush against his lips. "There's a lot I don't know about you as well, Ace. Like: why you're still standing there," she said with a smile and Draco laughed a little.  
  
"Uh, I'm sorry?" he tried, not sure exactly what rule he was violating. Hermione smiled and kissed his lips, happy to have such easy access.  
  
"Come bond with me; I'm cold," she explained, still smiling. Draco kissed her again, a little harder than before, then did as she asked and settled himself beside her on their sofa. He stretched his arm across the back and Hermione draped hers across his chest, moving as close as possible.  
  
"Happy?" he asked, not sarcastic as much as contented; he was obviously happy himself. Hermione smiled and squeezed close to him, squirming a little as he moved his arm to hold her to him.  
  
"Very," she said, still trying to get as close as possible. Hermione placed her head on Draco's chest and closed her eyes, taking in the comfort of the new position.  
  
"Do you feel alright, Mia?" Draco asked after a moment, smiling at the incredible feeling of contentment she gave him.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, just cold. Don't worry so much," Hermione said, sounding like she meant it. Draco smiled, the hand on her shoulder pulling her toward him a little.  
  
"I can't help it," he said, quietly but audible. Hermione smiled and took a deep breath, letting git out as she spoke.  
  
"Ask me something," she said, looking up slightly.  
  
"What?" Draco asked, out of habit more than anything, and she smiled again.  
  
"We're supposed to be bonding, aren't we? And you're right, we hardly know anything about each other. So; ask me something," Hermione explained, mentally preparing a question for him. Draco smiled and kissed her head.  
  
"Tell me more about your home-life, Mia," he said and Hermione was almost surprised; she had expected a smart-ass comment from him.  
  
"I live in a tiny little muggle town, outside London. It's really nice, and I have great friends, if not a great quantity. My parents are hardly ever home; you wouldn't think dentists would need to travel, but they do. Mostly conventions, I think. I've stayed here for Christmas fifth and sixth year because of that; they weren't going to be home, so there was no reason for me to be.  
  
"Our house is no where near as large as yours, and contains no library, unless you count my room. I keep all my books there, and I do have quite a lot, so I guess you could say that.  
  
"I spend my summer, for the most part, alone. I do, occasionally, go out with my muggle friends; especially last summer. My parents gave me a 5- passanger, black Mercedes Benz SLK 32 convertible for my birthday (A/N check out this car; it's AWESOME!); I practically lived in that car. I think I miss her most, of everything. Can you drive?" Draco had sat quietly and listened, caressing her shoulder with his thumb, in reality very interested.  
  
"Of course; I can do everything," he said with a smile and Hermione laughed, although anyone else would have been intimidated. Draco smiled, loving the knowledge that he couldn't scare her.  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot," she said as if it had been her mistake.  
  
"I don't have a car though."  
  
"Really? That's somewhat surprising," she said, smiling and lifting her head up a little. Draco shrugged slightly, still smiling.  
  
"Is it? Cars are a muggle mode of transportation, Mia. Apparation and brooms are Malfoy modes of transportation," he said, although he sounded sad. Hermione didn't say anything for a moment, but simply because she didn't know what to say.  
  
"I guess that makes sense- I never thought of it that way. But, how do you know how, then? Don't tell me it just comes natural," she finally managed to speak.  
  
"My Mum, and no; it definitely did NOT come naturally. I wouldn't be surprised if it was harder for me, actually. I think never seeing a car up close, then suddenly trying to operate one makes things more difficult.  
  
"You would have laughed if you were there, Mia. Mum laughed, Fristy laughed.... I think Clara fractured something from constantly falling to the ground in hysterics.... but I have to admit; it was funny. I was terrible and it took forever to get better," Draco said with a wide smile as he remembered the first time his mother tried to teach him. She attempted to explain everything, but Draco had been completely lost. Luckily for both of them, and the poor car, Narcissa had her wand ready for emergencies. Needless to say, there were quite a few spells cast that day.  
  
Hermione was almost laughing herself, picturing Draco in the driver's seat of a black limo, his mother smiling kindly in the seat next to him, and a nervous chauffer in the back, sweating bullets as Draco turned the ignition key.  
  
"Well," she said after a minute, "I was thinking about letting you drive the Merc... but now I'm not so sure," she teased, looking up.  
  
"Trust me when I say that I'm MUCH better now, but I wouldn't drive your car, even if you asked me to. That's YOUR car; I have no business behind its wheel. I wouldn't let anyone drive MY car, if I had one, so I don't expect to drive anyone else's...unless of course if it's an emergency or something," he told her and Hermione looked a tad bit suspicious.  
  
"You offered to let me drive your broom, how is that any different?" she asked and Draco laughed.  
  
"Mia, in ratio to your car, my Cirrus is a skateboard. You've never seen MY baby, have you? I'll show you next time we go flying," he said, looking thoughtful. Hermione smiled.  
  
"You mean you have a BETTER broom than that blue one? I wasn't even sure one existed," she asked, surprised. Draco laughed a little, smiling and placing a kiss on Hermione's forehead.  
  
"Of course there's a better one. There's always going to be a better one," he told her, sounding as if it were common knowledge.  
  
"It wasn't in that creepy trunk with the others. That thing could take a digit or two if you aren't careful," she pointed out, mocking his broom closet. Again, Draco shortly laughed.  
  
"Safety precautions, although I'm not sure it's really necessary, as I'm the only one who can open it. But you're right, she's not in there. My baby's case is twice as protected as that one; I had it made especially for her. I think she likes it," Draco told her and Hermione giggled. "What?" he asked, good-naturedly.  
  
"I was just thinking; whenever you talk about Pansy, you say her name as if she were an object, and a loathed object at that, which is kind of bad in itself. Even if she is an... unpleasant person, she's still a person. But, anyway, my point is, you talk about Pansy as if she were a potions essay, but you talk about this broomstick as if it were your one true love. I just find that rather amusing," she said, smiling. Draco kissed her head again.  
  
"I see your point, but you know what?" he asked and Hermione turned her head up in response. "Compared to you, my baby is a potions essay," he said and Hermione smiled, a slight giggle escaping her lips. Draco smiled as well, wanting to hear the heavenly display of her happiness again. "A long one; 40ft... with mandatory extra credit," he continued and Hermione's giggled did the same. "To be written within half an hour... on the proper way to stir," Draco finished and Hermione continued her flattered display.  
  
She turned her head farther up and Draco claimed her lips instantly, before her giggles could even subside. They left her quickly and Hermione fell into the kiss, happy to be having it. They broke apart slowly and Hermione's smile returned.  
  
"Okay Ace; my turn," she said and Draco nodded, ready to answer her question. Hermione took a breath, then smiled a little, trying to keep her mouth upturned, but finding it incredibly difficult. "Was your childhood really as terrible as everyone thinks?" she asked, bending her head back down and closing her eyes again. Unlike Hermione, Draco was founding it easy to keep his smile. He felt as if he couldn't be upset with anything when he was this close to her.  
  
"I guess, I mean, I was at the beck and call of my father; expected to wait on him hand and foot and do whatever he asked of me. There wasn't a whole lot of physical violence until I was about ten. To this day I think he somehow found out about Selene and took it as a sign that I was ready to follow in his footsteps. Before that, I spent my time apparating places to pick up things from the Draco Lord and what not, learning to fence, and trying to protect my mother. Unfortunately, I was a poor excuse for a body guard and my efforts were usually futile.  
  
"I wasn't exactly a match for Lucius at age seven, but I tried. I took care of Mum after, well... after he did. She's a lot stronger than she looks... kind of like you.  
  
"Mum protected me from my father until I was somewhat able to defend myself, but I don't think Lucius would have hurt me, or at least not when I was very small. He wasn't quite stupid enough to do anything which might damage the development of his only heir, not when he had so much riding on it.  
  
"All of the things you've heard are true, love. My father was indeed a death-eater, and the head death-eater at that. I, as the only son of his right hand man, became heir to Voldemort's throne. Damn, if it weren't for Potter, I'd be screwed into the ground by now. Just another piece of the twisted puzzle. Branded, betrothed, and expected to do anything and everything the Dark Lord told me to. Remind me to thank Harry next time we see him, would you? I don't think I ever told him how much that meant to me.  
  
"If there's one reason I'm glad our relationship didn't start when it should have, it's because I would undoubtedly have put you in danger. Either Voldemort would have tried to harm you, he would have appointed Lucius, or, most likely, I would have been forced to do so, because you trust me, and would have trusted me," he paused for a moment, holding Hermione tight against him. "Okay, I really don't want to talk about this anymore... oh, god, how could I even..." he started, but couldn't continue.  
  
Draco held Hermione tight to him, pressing his lips into her hair. Hermione remained silent, squeezing Draco back and keeping her eyes shut tight. She shuddered slightly as his words repeated in her mind and felt Draco sharply inhale.  
  
"I'm sorry Mia, I didn't want to scare you... I don't know what I was thinking, telling you that... I'm sorry," he told her, in some way hoping she wouldn't be upset, but in another way he hoped she would. What he had just said was horrible; Draco knew that if Hermione slapped him right then, stormed into her room, and slammed the door behind her, he would have understood. Hermione didn't do this, however. She loosened her grip for a moment and turned her head up to him, a strangely sincere smile on her face.  
  
"No, this is good. I want to know everything about you, not just the good stuff. And besides; it's not like I've never had someone to kill me before," she said, keeping her smile.  
  
"Hermione..." Draco said in a way that could only precede the words 'you're scaring me.' Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, really, it's okay. Voldie has been after me for years, trying to get to Harry. As sick and twisted as it sounds, I think I'm getting used to it. Did you notice that you were at least twice as freaked out about the dreams as I was? That entire week, did I seem abnormal at all, besides the whole being worried out of my mind about you thing?  
  
"I've just accepted the fact that I'm not going to live forever. It's really alright, you don't have to watch what you say around me... I'm not going to have a nervous breakdown; trust me," Hermione assured him, bringing her lips as close to his as she could manage. Whether to kiss was up to Draco, and at that moment, like so many others, he felt as if he would do anything for her. He kissed her as if he would never chance it again; as if she were to disappear at any second and not reappear a few hundred feet away.  
  
"I love you," Draco said, making Hermione smile. Then he pricked his mouth into a pathetic smirk. "...and I'm not going to kill you." Hermione laughed and brought her lips back to his, now close enough for her to be the one to decide what happened.  
  
"That's always a good thing to hear. Okay, next question," she said, tilting her head back down and waiting for his inquiry. Draco smiled and relaxed a little, glad for a chance to change the subject.  
  
"Tell me about your friends, Mia. The ones who live near you," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"There are six of us, all together. We're known throughout town for our inseparability, and are loved by almost every elderly lady for a mile. There's Thisbe; she's my very best friend; we've been that way for as long as I can remember. She's like my over-the-summer replacement for Ginny, although neither could really take the other's place. Thiz and I spend time together, but usually we recruit the others to join us.  
  
"There's Sean and Derek; they're the mischief making captains... always thinking of fun ways for us to get in trouble. Then Tino; he's the smart one who gets us out of it. As for girls, we've got Thiz and I, then Gwen. Gwen is rather morbid and gothic, but she has a knack for decorating. Thiz is kind of strange sometimes. She's into art and music and all that other wholesome cultural stuff. All I've ever seen her read is Shakespeare... I have pictures if you want to see them," she finished, shifting a little. Thinking she was getting up, Draco's arm tightened.  
  
"Not right now, love," he said, but gently. Hermione smiled and finished her repositioning.  
  
"That's good, because if you want me to get up now, you're going to have to move me yourself," she said, placing her head back on his chest. Draco smiled and kissed her.  
  
"Well, I guess you're staying here then. I haven't got the energy to move myself, much less you," he told her, smiling as the center of warmth from her shifted with her movement.  
  
"I'm just fine with that," she said with a smile, then kissed his chest through his shirt.  
  
"It's your turn, love," Draco said, remembering their current mission. Hermione smiled and took a slow and deep breath, showing her contentment.  
  
"Oh, right," she said on the exhale, then paused a moment before speaking again.  
  
A/N Once again, I've been forced to stop in the middle of something! Sorry!  
  
To those wondering, when Hermione said 'Malfoy-born Athena' she was making a reference to Pallus Athena; daughter of Zeus (Greek Mythology). Legend has it that Athena popped directly from Zeus' head, full grown and covered in armor. Hermione was mocking herself for believing Corsica to be a figment of Draco's imagination.  
  
Oh, and I apologize for all the Romeo and Juliet. I've become somewhat obsessed. I even dug through a box of second hand books at the library for a copy.... cost me a whole damn dollar! Lol.  
  
Once again, title from R+J. Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo killed Tybalt and now is banished, and she uses this oxymoron as a way to emphasize the irony of this statement. Yes, it has nothing to do with the chapter, but I loved the line and I wanted to use it somewhere... plus it's a serpent....yeah, Slytherin rules. Okay, so Draco rules and Slytherin sucks, but since they have him... it doesn't seems SO bad... hehe.  
  
PFR: Sorry about the delay on this... I had a dentist appt. on Friday, followed by BINGO with Granny, and I've been posting almost daily the last few chapters, so I'm getting a little ahead of myself, and with no time on Friday to actually write new stuff, I've fallen behind. Don't worry; I'm catching up. Hehe.  
  
J & K: You're the same person, aren't you?  
  
JoeBob1379: haha, yes, we all love da popcorn! Your favorite, hm? This isn't my favorite... I think mine is the one I've just written. They have a whole conversation about R+J; it's hilarious, trust me. Haha. Everybody's coming back on the 3rd of January. That is when we will hear from more people, although either Draco or Hermione will always be there. This is 3rd person limited, meaning they are the only ones whom I go into detail thoughts and feelings with. Cheerio!  
  
Hasapi: Yeah, I thought that was kinda corny, but I was feeling mushy that day... lol.  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: Hm... why don't they run away and just marry? Maybe because they're 16 and 17, don't have their diplomas yet, and have this once in a lifetime opp. Coming up. Why would you pass that up to be together when you can have both? Lol. But I know what you mean. They're so in love it makes me sick....I'm so incredibly jealous... haha. I'm not going to say if he did or if he didn't use 'protection', but either way no babies. My best guess would be no, because I mean think about it... he goes to school with only one person, and she just happens to be a girl whom he thought hated his guts, when he's packing his trunk before leaving, are condoms on the list? No, probably not. And even if he had some, I don't think they'd be like at arm's reach or whatever... and I don't really think he'd have any anyway considering his rather inactive sex life. I've read stories where they use like 'no-conception' spells, but I don't know if they'd think of that... plus when Hermione made that joke about being pregnant, if he had used one, wouldn't his first response be, 'But we used protection!' or something of the nature? But yeah, use your imagination.... I'm leaving it undecided. Haha.  
  
Theresa: Yeah, J and K are dorks. Thanx for reading and it's no problem from this end! Lol, I'm glad you're enjoying this! I certainly am!  
  
Malfoy: Yes, I love that scene too... it's my very favorite! Hehe. Love the hidden sex talk there, lol. And she's not anorexic, no one really thinks she is, and Draco definitely doesn't think she is. At the beginning of that whole speal, I was being crapped out by my mom for 'not eating enough' so I took out my emotion on it (talking about the scene in the astro. tower.) But then I just decided it was good fuel for an argument... haha. It was a misunderstanding, though. He was just joking around.  
  
Draco'sDragon: Lol; I have a chocolate stash, but each time I fill it it's emptied by suppertime... lol.  
  
Bitter Sanity: Yeah, that's what I was thinking... lol. DORK! Hey, at least you're not a... something worse than a dork! Be happy! Lol. And I AM trying to back off on the nicknames, but I still like them so I do tend to use them sometimes. He hardly ever says Hermione anymore unless he's trying to get her to do something... or something...  
  
Nikki: Sorry about the no details, but I'm not exactly the best author to do that... plus I didn't want to screw it up and make it sound stupid then turn people off to the fic or something... and I like Ace. He stays Ace. I think it's the perfect name for him. Sorry.  
  
Raelli: Why thank you, lol. I'm sorry if it's getting boring, but I don't doubt that it is... I just don't quite feel ready to stop it yet...and I LIKE the mushiness!  
  
MoshiMoshiQueen: Lol, I doubt it's the BEST but thanks anyway... lol. And it's not going as slow as it seems to be. They've only been together for a month or so... but they are together like all day everyday, so I guess it's quite a lot of togetherness and makes up. My boyfriend and I live in two different towns, so I only get to see him for a few hours on the weekends... I think I'm writing this story this way because I'm jealous, lol.  
  
Envision: I love popcorn.  
  
Jayx: Yeah, they're oversensitive, and creepily overprotective, but it's just make believe. Haha. If this story were to really happen, it would freak those involved out... but then again, wouldn't any of the Harry Potter stories freak people out? Seriously, lol. Bubble Tramp rules, lol. And yeah, about Lirawen, that's what I was thinking... but I wish she'd just go away. 


	36. Some Shall Be Pardoned, and Some Punishe...

A/N: Once again, bad stoppage, but I can't help it; long scene...  
  
Last time on FOE:  
  
"Well, I guess you're staying here then. I haven't got the energy to move myself, much less you," he told her, smiling as the center of warmth from her shifted with her movement.  
  
"I'm just fine with that," she said with a smile, then kissed his chest through his shirt.  
  
"It's your turn, love," Draco said, remembering their current mission. Hermione smiled and took a slow and deep breath, showing her contentment.  
  
"Oh, right," she said on the exhale, then paused a moment before speaking again.  
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX: Some Shall Be Pardoned, and Some Punished  
  
"Do you have any friends outside of school?"  
  
"Not really. Even when I was younger, it was Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle; and I don't like any of them. My father and theirs kind of forced us together; it was depressing, really. Once school started, I wasn't allowed to make any other friends, except Harry. I tried to pull him into my league, just as Father demanded, but thank god I was who I was and Harry who he is. If I hadn't insulted Ron or Harry agreed with me... I don't even want to think about what would have happened.  
  
"When Lucius found out, he wasn't exactly thrilled. I was trusted with pulling Potter over to the dark side, and I failed. No more making friends after that. If I so much as talked civilly to someone, especially if they weren't a Slytherin, my minions would have reported me, meaning punishment when I returned home. Not something I looked forward to. So; I took the downstream path and just became a cold-hearted prick. A friendless, cold- hearted prick," he told her, less than amused at how every question she asked, no matter how innocent, always ended with a depressing memory.  
  
"They would just tattle to your father? And I thought I had problems with Harry and Ron," she said, then paused for a moment. "He would have been in Slytherin," Hermione said and looked up at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Harry; he would have been in Slytherin if he had made friends with you. The hat wanted to put him there to begin with, but Harry couldn't stand the idea of spending the next seven years with you, so he asked it not to," said Hermione with a smile. Draco looked surprised.  
  
"A Slytherin in Gryffindor? That's a pretty controversial switch, isn't it?" he asked, attempting to picture a Slytherin Harry Potter, which proved to be rather difficult.  
  
"Not really- don't let the rivalry confuse you, it's meaningless. Slytherin isn't just for the evil, it's more like the talented, and Gryffindor the virtuous. Harry had both talent and virtue, so when one option was omitted, the other was chosen," she explained and Draco nodded, seeing her point.  
  
"Okay, then what about you? Why were you not in Slytherin? I have no doubt that you are the most talented witch in the school," he pointed out, for some reason trying to contradict her theory.  
  
"Even if that's true, I'm still a mudblood, and mudbloods don't get put in Slytherin. They would have eaten me alive."  
  
"Mia, I..." Draco began, but Hermione silenced him with an icy cold finger to his lips. She just shook her head, not wanting to get back into that mess of a conversation; he'd done enough apologizing. Hermione hated to see him so utterly regretful. "Okay," he said as the finger slid down. "What about Crabbe and Goyle?"  
  
"Hey, I said Slytherin wasn't ALL evil; I never said that none of them were there merely because of ties to the dark side."  
  
"Alright, alright. My turn. Do you have a skateboard?" Draco asked, smiling again when Hermione laughed.  
  
"What kind of a question is that?" she asked good-naturedly and he shrugged, grinning widely.  
  
"I don't know, but I've been wondering ever since you made that beach metaphor on the pitch yesterday," he explained and Hermione laughed again.  
  
"Actually, I do; but I prefer my blades. And you?" she asked, smiling both inwardly and outwardly at the innocence of the question.  
  
"Yes, but I prefer my board."  
  
"Wouldn't that be termed Un-Malfoy like?" she continued with a smart smirk and Draco smiled.  
  
"Yeah, but so is laughing, ice skating, running, and sleeping with you. Obviously, I don't really care anymore. I didn't learn until after Lucius died anyway. Like two months afterward, I exchanged about a thousand galleons and just went wild in that muggle mall outside London. I never knew muggles had such cool inventions... have you ever used a yo-yo? And they cost practically nothing!" he laughed and Hermione kissed him. For some reason, those words made her feel warmly happy; like the sound of worn- in sneakers against a sunny summer sidewalk.  
  
"So you can blade? Maybe that's why you did so well on the ice," she said with a smile and felt Draco's hand slide from her shoulder to her waist.  
  
"Is that sarcasm you're using, Miss Granger?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow and Hermione raised hers in return, looking a bit surprised.  
  
"Actually, I'm not. You only fell once; that was good for your first time," she said, tracing her finger down the cheek opposite her. Draco smiled.  
  
"Thanks, I think. Okay, next question. Do Harry and Ron know about this posse of yours?" he asked, but instead of answering, Hermione smirked.  
  
"It's my turn," she informed him, but Draco shook his head.  
  
"Is not; I asked if you had a skateboard, then you asked if I did. Therefore, it's my turn," he explained. Hermione looked happily outraged, laughing in unimportant disbelief.  
  
"That doesn't count!" she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"Of course it does."  
  
"Does not!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because it just doesn't!"  
  
"Alright, this is by far the most juvenile fight we've ever had, Mia. Just answer my question," he rationalized and Hermione giggled, enjoying the slight annoyance she was inflicting.  
  
"If it's so jovial, why don't you just let me win?" she asked, smiling deviously.  
  
"Because that would mean that I lose. I still don't want to lose, so answer me," he demanded, purposely trying to look intimidating. To no one's surprise, Hermione laughed. **Wow,** Draco thought as the sound forced him to smile. **Even Fristy would have been nervous if I looked at her like that...** Hermione calmed down quickly and snuggled a little closer to Draco, putting her chin on his shoulder and leaning her forehead against his profile.  
  
"No, Harry and Ron don't know about my friends. They just never asked. I don't think either of them have any, other than our mutual ones, so they assume I don't either," she said with a half shrug.  
  
"Do your friends know about them?" Draco asked out of pure curiosity. Hermione thought for a moment, then smiled.  
  
"Thiz knows their names and what they look like, but everyone else just knows I have some guy friends from my boarding school. I'm not allowed to tell them about Hogwarts; they're all muggles, after all. It's the only secret I've ever kept from Thiz. I think she knows I'm hiding something, but she doesn't pry, which is unlike her," Hermione said, smiling at the thought of her friend.  
  
"Do they know about me?" He sounded almost nervous. Hermione smiled and squeezed him in something that resembled a hug.  
  
"Thisbe has known about you since my first letter home in first year. Don't worry; I've updated her since then. Yes, she knows about us, if that's what you're asking. Whether she told the guys or not, I don't know. Knowing her, they probably know every word I've written, plus some exaggeration on her part," she said and Draco smiled, glad she wasn't embarrassed by their relationship. He couldn't really think of a reason why she should be, but he didn't want to think too hard, for fear of finding one.  
  
"Hey Mia, you know what's funny?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You got all upset because you wasted your turn on the skateboard question, but then you answered three consecutive questions without complaint," he informed her and Hermione tracked the conversation back for a moment, validating his accusation. Then, she began laughing.  
  
"You're right. Alright Ace, now it's DEFINITEly my turn," she said and paused for a moment to think of an inquiry. "Will you come visit me over the summer?" Draco smiled at the innocence in her voice.  
  
"If you want me to, love, I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Why wouldn't I want you to?" she asked, almost sounding hurt that he would think himself unwanted.  
  
"Well, you said yourself that one) you've never brought anyone home before, two) your parents overreact to everything, and three) all your friends are muggles," he explained and Hermione picked her head up in surprise.  
  
"Why does it matter that they're muggles?" she asked, almost defensively.  
  
"It doesn't, love, but aren't you afraid I'll embarrass you? You probably should be."  
  
"No; you've convinced me that you know a substantial amount about the muggle world; I've never even thought about it. And I've known these people forever; I don't think it's possible to be embarrassed in front of them... especially not after some of the things we've done," she said with a giggle. "Wait, who's turn is it?" she asked, closing her eyes.  
  
"I have no idea," Draco said with a smile, then it morphed into a smirk. "But that was a question, so I guess it's my turn," he reasoned and Hermione giggled in response.  
  
"Alright, whatever. Go on, ask me," she said with a smile.  
  
"Give me a second," he said and took a few, trying to think of something. "Alright, tell me about some of these embarrassing escapades your friends put you up to," he said and Hermione's smile grew.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't say that they put me up to it; I was pretty agreeing to most of the things. Like, the night before term this year, Derek called everyone up and asked if we wanted to go to karaoke night at O'Sweeny's Irish pub and I offered to take the Merc, so that's what we did. Tino doesn't drink, so he would have been our designated driver, but he was somewhere with his girlfriend, Tish, meaning that even if we knew where he was, we wouldn't have wanted to disturb them.  
  
"No Tino means we draw straws. So, at about three that morning, one sober Thiz escorted a very drunk quartet to the Merc and proceeded to distribute them to their designated domiciles. Didn't you notice how bitchy I was on the train? I practically tore off your limbs and shoved them down your throat," she said apologetically, putting a comforting hand on his chest.  
  
"Yeah, but I thought you were just pissed because you saw me there, of all people," he admitted, running his hand back up to Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"I'll admit that that was part of it, but you were being nice to me; it was more that I had a killer hang over, deafening headache and like three hours of sleep the night before. I apologize for that," Hermione said and Draco laughed.  
  
"Don't. That was forever ago and I totally understand anyway.... Did all of your little expeditions involve alcohol?" he asked, almost worried, but Hermione laughed.  
  
"No, of course not. Most of the time we did normal things, like air hockey and blading... stuff like karaoke is uncommon, but fun as hell when it happens. Don't you ever just put everything aside and do things that are totally unexpected and out of character?" she asked, smiling and curious, but unmoving.  
  
"Not really. It's hard when you have no character to begin with," Draco said as if he was pointing out something obvious, and Hermione frowned.  
  
"Draco, would you stop that, please? Your self-loathing is depressing. What is it about you that you hate so much, anyway?" Draco didn't say anything for a moment, just turned his face into her hair and took a deep breath.  
  
"I love you, Mia," he told her and Hermione smiled again.  
  
"I know," she said, sighing and concentrating on how comfortable she felt.  
  
"Mia, were you ever... romantically involved with any of your muggle friends?" Draco asked, his voice quieter than the crackle of the fire. Hermione smiled.  
  
"No, but I took a bath with Sean when we were maybe two. Our mums thought it was adorable; we have pictures," she said and Draco laughed.  
  
"Should I be jealous?" he asked with a smirk and Hermione snorted.  
  
"If you want, but it's not like you haven't got any other material to work with. Plus, I've done more with you while in lack of clothing than I've ever done with anyone else," she pointed out and Draco's smirk increased a bit.  
  
"Yes, but there are no pictures... and what about Krumb?" Hermione laughed.  
  
"Oh, please. That guy was finished with me before we were even fully undressed... but it's probably a good thing that there is no photographic evidence of us, though," she rationalized and he nodded in agreement with a slight laugh.  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right. Can you imagine if someone saw them? Harry? I'd be dead in half an hour," he said, smirking. Hermione nodded.  
  
"Long enough for him to find Ron and a really sharp knife," she said, laughing.  
  
"Okay, I'm getting a little scared; no more... creepy, morbid, talk. It's your turn," Draco told her and Hermione nodded. Then her smile dropped.  
  
"What really happened with Snape this morning? I want details; tell me exactly what he said," Hermione all but demanded, sounding like she needed to know as soon as possible. Draco shifted a little and sighed.  
  
"Exactly what I told you earlier; I was walking, in Hogsmeade, and Snape came up behind me and tapped my shoulder. He said, and I quote, 'Mr. Malfoy. You seem to enjoy the lifestyle of a shop-dweller, don't you? Where's...'" Draco started, then stopped.  
  
"It's okay," Hermione said and Draco kissed her head before continuing.  
  
".... 'Where's the mudblood?'" He stopped when Hermione flinched. She knew it was coming, but she had hoped to never hear that word from Draco's lips again. He kissed her again in apology, but she seemed not to notice.  
  
"And?" she begged, wanting him to continue. Draco sighed, half glad she wasn't angry, half disappointed. If she had been, she might have let him after Snape. **Oh, how I would love to kick his ass...**  
  
"And, I told him to fuck off, if not in so many crude words. I'll admit, I was pissed beyond belief. He fed me some garbage about endangering the welfare of a student by not telling him and I gave... I didn't want to put up with his harassment. I'm still not sure if it were you or me who was 'endangered', but it doesn't matter, really. I told him you were back at the castle and none of his concern, then he looked almost scared, betrayed even. He gawked for a moment then... and I quote again, he said, 'I will not tolerate your casual tone, Malfoy. Detention, my office at seven. If you're late, you'll serve three more.' And he turned and left me there, but he didn't go back to the castle, he went somewhere else in Hogsmeade."  
  
"Draco, I'm so incredibly afraid of Snape right now... it's scary in itself," Hermione said and Draco pulled her tight to him.  
  
"I won't let him hurt you, Hermione," Draco said, once again pressing his lips into her hair. Hermione stuttered a sigh.  
  
"I know you'd try to protect me, Draco, but let's be rational. Snape could kill me if determined enough and no one could stop him," she said, sounding hopeless. Draco's arm tightened further.  
  
"I WON'T let him hurt you, Hermione," he repeated, sounding determined.  
  
"Draco..."  
  
"No, Mia. I won't, can't, and will not. This is one thing I can not fail at, no matter how incapable I may seem. Just trust me," Draco said, sounding doubtless.  
  
"I do," assured Hermione. "...and I love you."  
  
"I know, love."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Eventually, their conversation turned back to the question exchange and Draco and Hermione continued to swap stories and give out requested information. As the hours dragged on, the speech became sparse and soon, both the head boy and girl were asleep in each other's arms.  
  
Having the more awkward position, Hermione was the first to wake. She did so with a start, jumping as a horrid dream came to a climax. Draco's arm tightened out of habit and Hermione smiled. **He even protects me in his sleep,** she thought dreamily, feeling happier than she had in quite some time.  
  
She turned to the clock on the mantle and sighed as she registered what it read. Hermione then looked back to Draco and couldn't help but smile at his innocent slumber. She sent a sweet stream of air across his cheek.  
  
"Draco, baby... wake up," she said before blowing again. Draco's arm tightened a little and he spoke, but it was obvious that he was more asleep than awake.  
  
"Mmm...whaza matter, Mia?" he asked dreamily with an almost drunken slur and Hermione sighed.  
  
"A lot of things," she said and paused a moment before gently kissing his lips. When Draco didn't respond, Hermione kissed a little harder and bit his lip, determined to wake him in the best way she could fathom. At this, the blonde boy woke and almost instantly kissed back. The couple broke apart with a semi-loud, but unanticipated, wet kissing noise.  
  
"I'm sorry, but it's quarter after six," she explained and Draco smiled.  
  
"I'm not complaining; that was better than my dream," he said in a way that suggested his dream had been very good indeed. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Do you dream often?" she asked, sounding curious, and he nodded.  
  
"I used to only dream the premonitions, but then... remember that night you slipped on the balcony?"  
  
"Mmhm," Hermione said with a slight nod, listening intently.  
  
"Well," Draco continued, "...ever since that night, every time I close my eyes, it's like, *pop*; there's Hermione," he finished and flashed her a grin.  
  
"What do you dream about?" she asked, still smiling. Draco shrugged slightly.  
  
"Just us. Sometimes we're married, sometimes we're really old... We've had kids, dogs, sex, and once even an apartment in Seattle." Hermione's eyes opened again.  
  
"Did I make pancakes?" she asked and Draco looked surprised.  
  
"Actually, you did. And coffee," he said.  
  
"And it was raining."  
  
"I was reading a muggle newspaper."  
  
"While sitting at the kitchen table, in a black bathrobe," Hermione finished and Draco nodded.  
  
"Get out of my head," he demanded and she laughed.  
  
"I've had the same one, more than once," she explained, then paused before checking the mantle clock again. "We should go, I don't want to be late. Let me grab a sweater, though. If it's this cold up here, the dungeons just might kill me," Hermione said as she pulled away and stood, shivering as the cold air touched her un-blanketed skin. She moved toward her room, but Draco quickly stood and stopped her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back onto the couch.  
  
"No, Hermione. There is no way in hell that you're coming with me," he ordered, looming over her. "I don't want you anywhere near either Snape or the dungeons unless absolutely necessary."  
  
"But-" Hermione started in protest.  
  
"No, Mia," interrupted Draco. "I don't trust a hair on his greasy little head and the way he's been acting lately... I just don't want you getting hurt, alright?" he said, sounding exasperated. Hermione nodded slightly as he walked to the fire and picked up the black sneakers which had been drying there since morning.  
  
"Draco, I can't just avoid him forever. There're classes in two weeks, Dumbledore always seems to send him to tell us things, and he has that habit of following us around. He'll notice," she pointed out, but did not attempt to defy him and stayed seated. Draco slipped his sneakers on and walked back to the couch.  
  
"I know, Mia, but I still don't want you down there," he insisted and sighed as Hermione dropped her head. He placed his fingers below her chin and lifted her head to meet her eyes. Both smiled. "Look, you don't have to stay here, just steer clear of the chambers, alright?" he pleaded and she nodded, then sighed.  
  
"Alright, but eat something before you go, okay? I don't think Snape's apt to give you a break." Draco smiled.  
  
"Yes, Mia," he agreed and kissed her. "I love you," he reminded her, brushing her cheek with his thumb. Hermione smiled and Draco kissed her again, then pulled away completely and headed toward the portrait. Hermione watched him go, smiling as he turned back, but wishing he weren't leaving.  
  
"And not pumpkin butter!" she called after him, just before the door closed, and heard Draco laugh.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco shook his head at the girl behind the portrait door and looked up to the man in the painting. The little girl was playing with a set of jacks, sitting on the floor at the foot of her smiling father, who was, as always, seated in his chair.  
  
"You be good to her, boy. That girl loves you more than anything," the man said to Draco and he nodded.  
  
"I know, and I don't deserve it," he answered, too caught up with Hermione to bother wondering why this man always seemed to make conversation with him. At Draco's answer, the man shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that," he said, then paused. "I expect you better be off, lad. Wouldn't want to keep our little friend waiting," he said and his daughter looked up. The dark haired man smiled down at Narcissa and she turned back to her jacks.  
  
"Right. Good evening Sir," Draco said with a slight bow. "M'lady," he continued, turning and bowing to the small blonde girl. She giggled and Draco looked back to her father. The man smiled and Draco left, his course directly to the great hall. Against Hermione's better judgment, he had an unorthodox meal planned for this evening.  
A/N this is really getting long winded.... oh well, it's all good. Interesting anyway....I apologize for the length to anyone who may be bothered by it.  
  
Title: Surprise, surprise; Romeo and Juliet.... last scene, after everybody dies, line 308, said by the prince right before the infamous 'For never was a story of more woe, that this of Juliet and her Romeo.' Thought it fit rather well...  
  
PRF:  
  
For FOE ~  
  
Malfoy: Yes, and he meets them at Christmas ::laughs evilly::  
  
Envision: Am I known for a chapter with NO popcorn? Nope...haha Christmas starts with Chappie 40.  
  
JoeBob1375: I don't know when my just written chapter will be up, but I estimate it at Chapter 46 or 47.  
  
MoshiMoshiQueen: Haha! Thanks! You're like the third person to tell me this is the best fanfic they've ever read, and I'm flattered, but I think you're just trying to butter me up so I update more... lol, isn't one chapter every two days enough for you guys??? Haha, either that or you haven't read a whole lotta fix, lol.  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: Yes, she is VERY lucky... lol. No, he's not a relative. You'll see what's up soon, I promise. Okay... Mia's on the Pill. See? They're responsible. All signs point to Draco as having no protection on him, so we'll let Hermione be the intelligent one. Plus, I'm not ::cough:: sexually active ::cough:: and I'm on the Pill to "regulate myself". Sorry if that info grosses you out, lol, but it's better than heavily bleeding for three weeks straight. That just sucked. And you're right. Slytherin rules. But I think I'd want to be a Gryffindor. Or a Ravenclaw; definitely not a Hufflepuff. Slytherin may rule, but dark damp and freezing dungeons as sleeping quarters don't sound too appealing. And thanx for the support against my hate-club!  
  
Cinnamon-eyes: Sorry, but I have stuff planned for over the summer and a baby would severely damper the mood. Um... she has a baby in my other fic "My Precious Empty Space" but it's not really ABOUT that... the baby IS there though. Check it if you get bored; it's only about ten pages; one chapter.  
  
Lirawen:.....::raises hand:: please fight your battles somewhere other than my review mailbox. Thank you.  
  
Draco's Dragon: Glad to hear it!  
  
Bleh: Yeah, I know... there's some stuff coming up that's a little more interesting... Action may not be an accurate term, but it's cool.  
  
Draco's Girl: Yeah, ew... see now why he's not the playa everyone thinks he is? Yeah; had to make him somewhat inexperienced, but I couldn't make him a virgin, so I gave him a traumatic experience... as if he doesn't already have enough of them, lol. And I won't, thanx.  
  
Hasapi: Hehehehehehe, thanx! You're so awesome!  
  
Sammi: Thanx, and you're right... it's not quite finished. Hey, did anyone ever notice that EVERYone just ASSUMED that Draco was a hottie? Like, of every fic you've ever read, has anyone ever written something like 'And there's Malfoy; the ugliest son of a bitch I've ever laid eyes on'? No it's always like 'I have to admit he has a great body, all muscle-y from Quidditch' (Which I never understood; how does riding a broom give you muscle? ANYway...) and Rowling NEVER said he was hott. In fact she said he was a pale boy with a pointed face. Do you find a nose which could poke out your eye attractive? Maybe it's because Tom Felton is so damn hott...? Yeah, that's it... lol  
  
Nikki: I'm keeping Ace, lol. I'm not offended, and I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I think it just fits. Have you ever read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton? You know that one guy, who dies at the end; shoots himself in front of the cops? I can't remember his name, but the name Ace reminds me of him, and he was a bad ass, so I think it fits Draco.... I don't know, maybe I'm weird, lol.  
  
For MPES:  
  
Hota-Chan, Demi, MoshiMoshiQueen. Thanx for the praise, and the tears. The tears make everything worth it! Haha!  
  
For LGG:  
  
Hasapi, Kate, Hota-Chan, Angelstarling: Thank you so much! I can't believe you all liked it so much, hehe! I've decided that I will update, but don't look for it too near into the future, because I'm planning on finishing FOE and starting the sequel, which will be entitled All Truths Begin In Whisper. **WORLD PREMIERE** hehe.  
  
Daisy: I'm sorry if you're unsure about my story, and I'm sorry if you don't like Ron and Harry being so mean, but I've always kind of hated them. They're so....nice, to everyone except Malfoy, and they SO take Mione for granted. So, my vote is she ditches them. I couldn't really see her doing that, so I had them ditch her, lol. Thanx for reading and taking the time to review, though.  
  
To whomever it was who read my fic and got me qualified for the Beauxbatons term, thank you so much for thinking of me in that light! I'm honored to be presented with this opportunity, but I'm afraid that I won't be accepting it. It sounds like a really great program, but I don't think it's right for me. I want to focus on my Draco and Hermione fics... I love them so much! But really, I thank you! 


	37. Exile Hath More Terror in His Look

Disclaimer: Ecstasy is all you need, living in the big machine, oh, you're so vain. Now your world is way too fast, NOTHING'S REAL and nothing lasts, and I'm aware; I'm in love and you don't care. (I/c you didn't get the message, I own nothing, as you all know... and if you don't, I feel very, very sorry for your parents) .  
  
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CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN: Exile Hath More Terror in His Look  
  
At first, Hermione just huffed, curling back up and replacing the blanket over her chilled body. The more she thought about it; however, she had to agree with Draco. She definitely did not WANT to see Snape unless it was necessary, but she was almost afraid to leave Draco alone with him. If Snape said even one bad thing about her, Hermione knew it would have disastrous results.  
  
When she grew tired of simply sitting on the sofa, her book lying forgotten on the floor, Hermione decided to get to work on her letters.  
  
"Might as well do something constructive; I don't think I can just sit here and wait," she said to herself, out loud only to hear something more than the crackle of the logs. Not wanting to move and undo all the warmth she had reabsorbed since Draco was obligated to leave; Hermione lifted her trusty wand from the table beside her and summoned all of her writing essentials.  
  
An hour later, she had written four rather lengthy letters and Draco still had not returned. She sighed and read through each for what seemed like the hundredth time, knowing that she should be using this as a learning experience. Draco would be out of her sight for much longer than this when classes started; she should be trying to get used to his absence. She missed him, of course, but that was to be expected. Hermione decided to concentrate on the letters; using them as a homework substitution. The chilly head Gryffindor was pleased to see that a large orange ball of fur joined her eventually, making Hermione fell less alone. She smiled as the cat climbed to the back of the couch and settled himself near Hermione's head.  
  
"Well, hello, you," she cooed, burying her face gently into Crookshanks' fur. "Long time no see." The cat purred loudly and attempted to play with a tendril of Hermione's luscious hair. "I haven't seen you in forever, baby. Why do you never come out anymore?" she asked, pointlessly starting a one sided conversation. "You're afraid of Draco, aren't you?" Hermione's voice sounded suspicious, but Crookshanks wasn't paying much attention. The lazy cat stretched, his toes spreading widely, and curled up on the cushy sofa back to once again go to sleep. "He won't bite, you know," she told the loudly purring fluff ball and gave him a kiss. "Or at least, not you," she finished with a devilish smirk, and then turned back to her letters.  
  
The first was to Harry and Ron. She told them about the teaching offer and made up a white lie; saying that she had wanted to wait and surprise them, but hadn't been able to hold out. Hermione briefly explained her date with Draco, being blunt and vague as to not arouse anger or misunderstanding. She remembered that Draco had made a comment about Seattle time before they had left Ron's that day and realized that she had never explained the reasoning behind it, so it only seemed fit to tell them. She ended this letter with a very brief apology for the harshness of her previous and a hopeful request that they write a reply.  
  
The next letter was to Ginny. In her letter, Hermione went into greater detail about their date and told her of the ring, which, for good reason, had been left out of Harry and Ron's letter. Hermione and Ginny had always been rather close; however not as close as Hermione and Thisbe, and told each other practically everything. In light of this, Hermione poured her heart out to her red headed pen-pal. She told her everything from the jobs, to the trip, to her feelings for Draco, and all in great detail. She even told Ginny of her pathetic fear of the start of classes, knowing they couldn't spend as much time together. Hermione hesitated a moment, but then told Ginny about sleeping with Draco a few days before, only going as far as to tell her that it was amazing and leaving out any graphic details.  
  
The third and shortest of the letters was destined for the Granger domicile. Hermione told her parents, remaining professional, about her job offer and acceptance. She knew they would be proud and didn't bother to ask for permission, but wasn't sure exactly what to tell them about Draco. He had obviously told his mother about her long ago, and she had all but told him that she had enlightened her parents, which wasn't entirely true. Hermione had told her parents that she was sharing living space with the head boy and that they were fast becoming close friends, but had never implied anything more. In the end, she decided to just get on with it.  
  
'Mum, Dad, do you remember me telling you about my roommate; Draco Malfoy? I have some news; Draco and I have been dating for almost a month now, and everything is wonderful," she told them and hoped it didn't seem too sudden. She requested to bring him home during the summer for a proper meeting and signed with all her love.  
  
Finally, Hermione began to read through her final and longest letter, addressed to Thisbe. To this girl, Hermione felt comfortable telling everything; she told her about the trip in great detail, noting how sweet and considerate Draco had been, and explaining the ring. Hermione knew Thisbe would believe her when she said that their relationship was serious; Hermione never acted this enthusiastic about anything, much less anyone. As she had been planning all along, Hermione told Thisbe about her physical episode with her boyfriend and could almost hear the muggle girl giggle. Hermione made Thisbe promise not to tell her parents, and to refrain from telling anyone else unless they specifically asked. The details about Draco and the trip had already taken up four pages, but Hermione wasn't through yet. She told Thisbe of her plans to bring Draco home over the summer and asked her to check on the Merc, then very briefly stated that she would be working as an English teacher at her school after graduation. She gave her regards to the guys and ended the letter with a reminder to give anything wished to be sent to her parents and let them mail it, as always.  
  
Hermione sighed once again, satisfied with her work. She hadn't mentioned her relapse to anyone, and each for their own reasons. Ron and Ginny would feel guilty about causing her pain, her parents would be overly worried, and Thisbe just wouldn't understand. The side-effects would have to remain between herself and Draco, much like the butter fantasy, the strange Snape observations, and the truth behind Draco's fear of sexual contact with women he cares for.  
  
Hermione felt her stomach flip at the thought of Draco and she looked up at the clock; half past eight. Hermione pouted and looked to Crookshanks worriedly.  
  
"Where is he, Crookshanks?" she asked and the cat silently flicked his tail, as if to say that he didn't particularly care. Hermione felt her stomach rumble and remembered what she had said to Draco just before he left. ** "Alright, but eat something before you go, okay? I don't think Snape's apt to give you a break..."** "I'm so silly!" she cooed good- naturedly to her cat, laughing at her premature worry. "SNAPE is hosting his detention; Draco will be lucky if he gets out of there by August," she said with a laugh. "If he's not back by dawn, THEN we'll worry, alright?" she proposed as if the feline needed reassurance.  
  
Hermione looked back down at her letters. ** I'll go to the owlry and grab some dinner, then I can come back and be lonely again, ** she thought and gathered her parchment into a pile. **It'll help pass the time at least. I'm pathetic; this is ridiculous. I can't believe I'm so restless, ** she thought, shaking her head and swiftly leaving the common room.  
  
Hermione walked through the portrait and paused before continuing down the hall. She took a deep breath and sighed, feeling a little better now that she had a mission.  
  
"Going after him, dear?" a sweet female voice called from behind her. Hermione spun to face the smiling and exceptionally pretty woman. "Quite a handsome catch you've got there, I say again, are you to follow him?" the woman asked, pricking up an eyebrow. Hermione smiled at the new occupant of their portrait and shook her head.  
  
"No, Draco would kill me if I came within a hundred feet of the dungeon entrance. May I ask, why do you visit our portrait, Madam?" she asked politely, sweetly smiling. The portrait woman threw up her hands and sat on the chair just behind her.  
  
"Oh! Forgive my manners, dear. I am here to watch the wee one while her father helps a friend," she said, gesturing toward the blonde girl on the floor, happily rubbing the belly of a small black kitten. Hermione smiled at the girl.  
  
"Well hello, I didn't see you there," she said sweetly and waved. Narcissa giggled and waved back.  
  
"I am Angelina Walters; it's a pleasure to meet you, dear," the woman interrupted and Hermione turned back to her.  
  
"Hermione Granger, likewise. Ms. Walters, when did you meet Draco?" Hermione asked with a small curtsy, then adjusted her pile of parchment.  
  
"Oh, contraire dear. I did not meet the handsome blonde boy whom resides within, but I did see him walk the halls on my way to this domicile. You've picked a good man, my dear, and if what Mr. VanRosner tells is true, he's picked you as well," Angelina said, lifting a teacup and saucer from the table beside her. Hermione blushed and looked to her shoes. "He deserves it, you know."  
  
"Beg pardon?" Hermione asked, looking back up to the mysterious guest.  
  
"Your love, my dear. It seems to be the only thing keeping that boy going," she explained and Hermione blushed again.  
  
"Everyone deserves to feel loved," she pointed out and Angelina nodded proudly.  
  
"You are wise, my dear. Now, if not off to find the boy, where, pray tell, are you destined?"  
  
"Oh, the owlry. I grew restless just waiting for him to come back and wrote a few letters I've been putting off. How long will you be gracing our entrance, Ms. Walters? Perhaps we could continue our conversation when I return?" Hermione suggested, liking the female contact, even if it was just a painting.  
  
"I'm afraid not, my dear Mr. VanRosner is due back shortly and I must return to my painting. I would love for you to visit me again, Miss Granger. My portrait is just down the way; you shall pass it on your way to the staircases," Angelina informed her, looking excited.  
  
"That would be lovely Ms. Walters, if Draco returns before Mr. VanRosner, would you be so kind as to inform him of my whereabouts?" Hermione asked and Angelina nodded warmly.  
  
"Of course, my dear, and I'll do you one more. Your young man will be passing by my painting as well on his way to this one. I shall pull him aside if you wish," she suggested and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated," she beamed and Angelina smiled, looking motherly.  
  
"That's quite alright dear. Run along now," she said and shooed her away. Hermione nodded and waved to Narcissa, then hurried down the hall toward the staircases.  
  
On her way, as Angelina had predicted, Hermione walked past the portrait which must have belonged to her new friend. Hermione stopped to inspect the empty portrait, which housed a room in a tower, a medieval window showing a sunny landscape. She smiled at the simple beauty and was about to continue down the hall when the little black kitten strutted into view and hopped up onto the red throne chair.  
  
"Hello you; followed me, did you?" she asked and the tiny cat lifted its chin arrogantly. Hermione laughed and continued along, leaving the kitten behind her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
More than halfway to the owlry, Hermione couldn't help but feel lonely. When Draco had left, at least she had had Crookshanks, but now she was alone again. The lone Gryffindor sighed, but tried to make it sound happy, for her own benefit. A tiny bit of Hermione enjoyed the privacy, but a greater part still wished Draco was there with her. She tried to bring the subtle enjoyment up and focused solely on it, walking swift and perkily down the hall, a smile on hr face. Enjoying the quiet was surprisingly easy, but Hermione couldn't help but be relieved to hear the noisy chatter of the owlry as she approached.  
  
The Hogwarts Owlry was surprisingly clean for housing so many birds. A frigid breeze greeted Hermione as she opened the door and she silently wished that she HAD grabbed a sweater before leaving. The large circular room held many glassless windows which freely let in the cold and the wind. Hundreds of owls slept on the floating perches, not bothered much by the cold. Hermione took a step in and shivered as she walked quickly to the counter. She placed each letter in a separate envelope, her fingers shaking and her breath visible.  
  
Each letter enveloped and respectively labeled, Hermione spun to face the owls and held up her arm. A fluffy chocolate brown barn owl flew directly toward her and landed smoothly on her human perch.  
  
"Hello Mercutio, ready to go visit Hedwig?" she asked and the owl clicked happily. It was common knowledge that this school owl had a crush on the famous Harry Potter side kick. "Alright, here, take these to Harry; he's at Ron's," she said and gave the owl Ginny's letter as well as Harry and Ron's. Mercutio hooted thankfully and took off, flying through one of the windows. Hermione watched him go with a smile, then turned back to the owls. She held up her arm again and, this time, was greeted by an owl she had never used before.  
  
"Why, hello there. Are you ready for a rather long journey?" she asked the tiny orange owl and to her surprise, it spoke back.  
  
"I believe so, yes. I've been waiting for months for my turn," the owl said, shifting his weight on her arm.  
  
"Oh, you can speak, can you? I must say that I admire your plumage; an interesting color, but it fits you well," Hermione said, smiling despite her discomfort from the cold.  
  
"Thank you, young Miss; you are too kind. I could say the same about you," the orange owl relied and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Do you have a name, Sir?" she asked, tickled at calling an owl 'Sir.'  
  
"Why, yes, Miss," he owl said and bowed, "I am called Hadrian; and you are?"  
  
"I am Hermione. It's nice to meet you, Hadrian," she said and bowed herself.  
  
"Likewise. You say you have for me a journey?" Hadrian asked impatiently.  
  
"Oh yes, please take these letters to the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Granger, if you would," she said and held out the letters for her parents and Thisbe.  
  
"Will do," Hadrian said, taking the letters and hovering near her. "I hope to speak with you soon, Hermione."  
  
"As do I. Take care, Hadrian," Hermione said and the tiny owl exited through the same window as Mercutio. After watching him go, Hermione turned back to the owls once more. A large grey one was staring at her, but Hermione just smiled. "I just can't stop making friends today, can I?" she asked cheerfully, but the owl just huffed and buried its head under a wing.  
  
A cold December breeze blew through one of the windows and traced an icy finger across Hermione's skin, forcing a shiver.  
  
"Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, I bid you adieu. It's a might bit cold in here for me to stay and chat. Good night," she said as she hurried to the door and slipped through, her mind yearning for Draco's arms to be wrapped around her ice-cicle of a body. She smiled at the thought and turned toward the great hall. If she couldn't have Draco, at least she could have hot chocolate.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
While Hermione was freezing in the owlry, Draco was boiling in the dungeons. As Hermione had predicted, the dungeons were much cooler than the common room, but the tedious physical labor Snape was putting him through had Draco sweating bullets.  
  
"Are you through with that crate yet, Malfoy?" the toxic drawl sounded from Snape's office.  
  
"Nearly, Sir," Draco called back, surprisingly successful at masking his hatred. He was standing in Snape's storeroom, a half empty crate at his feet. Draco picked another vile from the box and read the label; worm's wart. He then walked along the shelves in front of him, searching for the correct position. When he found it, Draco stepped upon the step latter and delicately placed the vile in its correct place, careful not to disrupt any of the other vials.  
  
Draco sighed and walked back to the crate. Work that would have taken minutes now took hours without his wand, which Snape had reprimanded until he completed his task. Draco had repeated this routine since he had arrived and in an hour and a half had managed to empty one and a half crates. He could see at least six more waiting to be sorted: supplies for the upcoming term. Draco tried to keep his mind on other things to pass the time, but all he could think about was Hermione; curled up and shivering alone on their sofa, a trashy romance in her hand. It was pathetic how much he missed her.  
  
"I don't hear you SORTING, Mr. Malfoy!" Snape called again and Draco had to clench his jaw to keep from retorting. He was in for a long night.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione walked to the Great Hall with her arms crossed and squeezed tight to her. She seemed to feel even more alone when she was cold. Hermione walked quickly, wanting to be warm again as soon as possible.  
  
As she reached the entrance doors, Hermione was practically running. She threw the big slabs open and looked eagerly inside, hoping SOMEone would be there. Alas, it was empty; she was alone. A frown of deep disappointment graced her lips and Hermione hung her head. Then she thought of something and snapped it back up again, a devious smile spreading across her face. Where was one place in the castle that held food, warmth, and hospitality?  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Miss Hermione!" the voice of Dobby the house elf greeted her as Hermione stepped through the portrait to the kitchens. "Dobby is so happy to see Hermione!"  
  
"I'm glad to see you too, Dobby," she said back with a smile, kneeling to give the small elf a hug.  
  
"What can Dobby get for Miss Hermione?" the servant asked eagerly.  
  
"Some hot chocolate would be lovely, Dobby, thank you," Hermione said with a smile and watched as Dobby ran deeper into the kitchens.  
  
Hermione sat at the small table placed near the entrance and watched as over a dozen house elves scurried about, cooking, cleaning, and issuing orders. When Dobby returned, he brought with him a large tankard of the requested hot beverage, a mug, and a tray of various snacks and small sandwiches.  
  
"Thank you Dobby, you really are too kind. Won't you stay and talk a while? Draco has detention and I am rather lonely," she asked, hoping the elf would agree to keep her company.  
  
"Of course, Miss Hermione," Dobby agreed and Hermione visibly brightened. Dobby took a seat across from her and the two fell quickly into conversation, munching on sandwiches and sipping hot chocolate. "Why did Miss send Master Draco for strawberries? Why did Hermione not come herself?" Dobby asked, looking hurt. Hermione shook her head sympathetically.  
  
"I would have, Dobby, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me leave the hospital wing," she explained and the elf's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Is Miss sick? Miss Hermione should not be coming to the kitchens if Miss is not well," Dobby said worriedly. Hermione laughed.  
  
"I'm alright, Dobby, don't worry about me. You sound just like Draco," Hermione thought out loud and felt a wave of loneliness wash over her, despite the many house elves in the room. Dobby blushed and looked to his tiny shoes.  
  
"Master Malfoy? Dobby is sorry, Miss Hermione," he said shyly, obviously embarrassed.  
  
"No, it's alright, but you shouldn't call him that, you know. It's not right and he doesn't like it," she reminded him gently and Dobby dropped his ears.  
  
"Sorry Miss, Dobby will be punished," Dobby said and jumped down from his chair.  
  
"No Dobby! It's alright, really, just try and remember, okay?" Hermione said and put a hand on the servants shoulder. She smiled sweetly and Dobby nodded. "Good. Okay, I have to go, but, if you like, Draco and I can come back for dinner tomorrow," she suggested and her tiny friend nodded enthusiastically. "Alright; I'll see you tomorrow, then, Dobby. Thanks for dinner," she said and turned to leave.  
  
"Miss Hermione and Mr. Draco are welcome in Dobby's kitchens at anytime," the elf reminded her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yes, I know. Thank you, Dobby," she said and walked to the portrait.  
  
"Miss Hermione!" Dobby called after her and Hermione turned back to see the small elfin man running up to her, a newly filled thermos of chocolate in his arms. "For Mr. Draco," he explained and Hermione grinned.  
  
"That's sweet of you, Dobby. Thank you," she said, kneeling to take the keg and give Dobby a light kiss on his forehead. Hermione watched the elf go scarlet and laughed. "Goodnight, Dobby," she said and waved as she walked through the portrait.  
  
Once in the hall, Hermione sighed; she was alone again. Looking at the thermos in her hands, she smiled. **He sure warms up to people quickly,** she observed and started back to her common room, looking longingly at the dungeon door as she passed it.  
  
At the top of the stairs, Hermione passed by Angelina's portrait, noting that it was still empty. Even the little cat was missing. She continued down the hall to her portrait, and was almost confused to see the raven haired man reading to his daughter.  
  
"Hello, Mr. VanRosner," she greeted him and the man looked up with a smile.  
  
"Hello Miss Granger. May I ask how you came by my name? I took special precautions not to tell you," he asked and Hermione felt herself slightly blush.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sir. I was told by Angelina Walters; your babysitter. Which reminds me; do you know where she is? She was not in her portrait and I now see that she is no longer here," Hermione asked and Mr. VanRosner smiled.  
  
"It's quite alright, Miss Granger, but for confidential reasons, I must ask that you not repeat anything you've learned about me to Mr. Malfoy. As for Angelina, she could be anywhere; she doesn't like to be left alone," the man said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Of course, Sir," she said, then spoke nothing more. Mr. VanRosner smiled silently for a while and Narcissa looked suspiciously between Hermione and her father.  
  
"Password?" the man said and Hermione almost jumped.  
  
"Oh! Yes; popcorn," Hermione answered, shifting her thermos from one hand to the other.  
  
"Good evening, Miss Granger," the man said and opened the door for her. Hermione sighed and entered the common room, unsurprised to see it empty.  
  
After fetching warmer clothing from her room, Hermione curled back up on the couch, pulling her blanket around her. Crookshanks, feeling left out, meowed a plea and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Come on, you," she told the cat and opened the blankets, allowing Crookshanks to cuddle up to her. "It's nice when you're affectionate; you should try it more often," she told the feline as it started again to purr. Hermione cuddled back into her blankets and took out her wand, summoning a new book and feeding the fire. **Romance will depress me; history will help put me to sleep,** she thought, opening a tattered textbook.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Three and a half hours after Hermione returned to the common room, Draco made his way slowly down the corridor. He passed Angelina, but she had fallen asleep and didn't notice him. As Draco approached the common room entrance, he ran a hand through his hair. Body aching from repeated bending and climbing, sleep and Hermione were the only things on his mind...but not necessarily in that order. Draco stepped to the portrait and looked up at the smiling man.  
  
"I do believe your mistress is within, Mr. Malfoy. Password?" he said and Draco blandly recited it, not bothering to wonder why the man had told him this. "You look dead on your feet, my boy. Do get some rest," the man advised and opened the door. Draco shuffled in, planning to do just that, and was surprised by the warmth of the room. He brought his eyes toward the still roaring fire, but was distracted by an innocently huddled figure on the sofa. He smiled and shook his head, then approached the sleeping girl.  
  
"Mia. Mia, come on, let's go to bed," he said, kneeling beside her and gently shaking her shoulder. Hermione woke immediately, inhaling sharply and opening her eyes.  
  
"Draco?" she asked, truthfully sounding relieved, and he smiled. "What time is it?" Hermione asked, blinking her eyes into focus.  
  
"Well, good morning to you, too," Draco said with a weary smirk and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said and leaned forward for a quick kiss. "When did you get home?" Hermione asked, rubbing daintily at one eye.  
  
"Just now. It's almost one; why don't we just go to bed, love," Draco suggested, more of a statement than a question, honestly wanting to do nothing but. Hermione nodded while she tried to stifle a yawn. Draco smile and came in for another kiss, this time deeper and longer; an accumulation of all the kisses missed in the last few hours. Hermione smirked as she opened her eyes again.  
  
"I thought I said no pumpkin butter?" she asked suspiciously and Draco's smile dropped to compliment the look of disbelief on his face.  
  
"Mia, that was like... six hours ago. How could you have possibly tasted that?" he asked and Hermione laughed.  
  
"I didn't," she told him, then pulled off her blankets. A very annoyed Crookshanks jumped out unexpectedly, hissing at Draco when he noticed him.  
  
"Gah!" he yelled and threw himself backward. Hermione looked worried for a minute, then laughed as Crookshanks jumped down and walked arrogantly toward her room, tail in the air.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, crawling off the couch and over to Draco.  
  
"Alright, now I'm jealous," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Poor Ace," she cooed, moving over him and bringing their lips together. "Well, this is the first time one of admirers has ever tried to attack you," she pointed out and Draco breathed a laugh.  
  
"Through physical exertion, yes," he said as Hermione climbed on top of him, pushing him to lay flat against the floor.  
  
"As opposed to?" she wondered out loud from her straddling position over him. Draco slid his hands to Hermione's hips, holding her a little steadier. Hermione smiled and moved her head down, lips against Draco's chest. He slid one hand to her back, but kept the other on her hip, then took a breath.  
  
"Snape," he said and Hermione groaned, kissing near the neckline of his think white t-shirt.  
  
"Were you late? He didn't really give you three more detentions, did he?" she asked, still working on his neckline.  
  
"No, no. He gave me twice that," he said sadly and felt Hermione's lips abruptly stop.  
  
"What? What happened?" she asked, lifting her head to look at him.  
  
"I got there early actually, but he gave me the three anyway for attempting to show him up or something, then just before I left, he decided to piss me off. I can't say it's surprising, but I said some things I shouldn't have and landed myself three more. I probably deserved those last ones, though. I said some pretty bad things."  
  
"Maybe, but he provoked you," Hermione pointed out and Draco nodded.  
  
"That is true," he agreed and Hermione sighed.  
  
"But six detentions? That's everyday until Christmas, Ace," she complained and Draco looked depressed.  
  
"I know, Mia. I tried to get him to reschedule, but it IS Snape, so it's not surprising that he refused. I didn't push it; didn't want ANOTHER detention," he explained and waited a while, not speaking and merely rubbing her back. "Hey, do you remember when you said that we spend too much time together?"  
  
"Yes, but-" Hermione started, but, of course, was cut off.  
  
"I think I finally see what you mean. Mia, we were about six hundred feet away from each other and I still missed you terribly. This is going to be one damn hard week," he said sadly and Hermione smiled, then kissed him, long, but shallow.  
  
"I love you," she told him and put her head on his chest again. Draco sighed and moved the hand on her back through her hair.  
  
"I love you too," he agreed, then paused. "Did you just sit here the whole time I was gone, love?" Hermione laughed.  
  
"No, I had to go to the owlry. And I was lonely, so I went and made some new friends," Hermione said and Draco smiled.  
  
"Go on," he urged and she smiled too.  
  
"The man in our portrait was gone; he had a baby sitter for the girl. Angelina Walters. She was supposed to tell you where I was when you came up, but I wouldn't doubt it if she wasn't there.  
  
"Then I went to the owlry and made friends with this little orange one who could talk. Very polite, actually," she told him and Draco smiled.  
  
"Hadrian," he said and Hermione smiled too.  
  
"Yes. Do you know him?"  
  
"Indeed I do; I always send him when I need to use a school owl; I think he's the only one not afraid of me," Draco explained and Hermione closed her eyes, listening to him talk and too tired to notice the humor in his words.  
  
"Don't you have your own owl, Ace?" she asked to get him talking again.  
  
"Yes, but I only send her to the manor; anywhere else, I use Hadrian. Don't you have one?" he asked, pointlessly keeping up a conversation he'd rather have in bed.  
  
"Mm, but he stays home while I'm here so my parents can mail me if they need to," she explained, absentmindedly playing with a wrinkle in his t- shirt while Draco ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
"Don't you have problems with that cat and an owl in the same house?" he asked, honestly curious.  
  
"Not as many as with Crookshanks and my snake in the same house," she said and Draco snorted with laughter.  
  
"Hermione Granger, Head Gryffindor, owns a snake? You are such a traitor. And your bedroom walls are painted green with little silver thumbtacks, am I right?" he asked in amusement and Hermione giggled.  
  
"No, but you're close. My bathroom walls are painted green and there are silver taps, but that doesn't make me a traitor and neither does Monty. Dating you, well... that makes me a traitor," she pointed out, but Draco ignored the last remark.  
  
"Monty?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yes. Mum named him after Monty Python, but it doesn't make much sense, as he's just a garner-snake. I've had both Monty and my green bathroom since before I even knew what Hogwarts was, therefore, I am not a traitor," she said in defense, but didn't move or open her eyes.  
  
"Yes you are, and so am I," Draco pointed out, sounding as if he didn't care in the least.  
  
"Well, Arnie, that's one boat I don't mind sharing with you," she agreed and Draco's eyebrows tightened in mild confusion.  
  
"Arnie? Okay, I can deal with Ace, and if it's a life or death situation, Drakkie-po, but if you ever call me Arnie again, I might just have to resort to drastic measures," he warned and Hermione laughed.  
  
"I was referring to Benedict Arnold? The traitor?" she asked, but Draco didn't seem to understand. "Never mind," she brushed it off, "Muggle history."  
  
"Mia, I would appreciate it if you didn't speak to me as if I don't know anything. It's belittling," Draco said, sounding almost sad. Hermione almost broke out in apology, planning on reassuring him that that wasn't true, but the use of her nickname suggested that he wasn't angry and she changed her mind.  
  
"Well you don't, do you?" she asked, smirking, and Draco chuckled slightly.  
  
"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you have to rub it in," he said and began stroking her hair again.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Hermione said and Draco smiled.  
  
"I know. Hey, maybe I should sit in on some of your classes next year; then I might actually know something," Draco suggested and she smiled.  
  
"I'm teaching literature, Ace. You said yourself, you already know how to read," she reminded him and his smile dropped a little.  
  
"I didn't mean that and besides, history is literature," he pointed out and Hermione kissed his un-bare chest.  
  
"I know," she agreed. There was a long silence in which both Hermione and Draco didn't move, both enjoying the other's company. Then Draco broke it.  
  
"Hermione, is that an urn?" he asked out of no where and Hermione popped her head up in surprise.  
  
"What?" she asked, then followed his gaze to the tankard on the end-table near one of the couches. She turned back to him. "If it is, I should slap you for being so casual. You'd think that, after a whole detention for your tongue, you'd learn to watch what you say," she said, her face unreadable. Draco lifted his eyebrows and visibly swallowed.  
  
"It's not, is it? I'm sorry," he said, sounding as if he deeply regretted it. Hermione smiled and kissed him.  
  
"No," she said, "You were lucky this time. It's hot chocolate for you, from Dobby. I went to the kitchens for dinner so I wouldn't have to eat alone," she explained and Draco sighed, relieved that it wasn't what he had thought.  
  
"How thoughtful," he commented and Hermione placed her head back down.  
  
"Mm, and that reminds me; I promised him we would come to the kitchens for dinner tonight; he was hurt that I sent you for strawberries," she explained and Draco smiled as she yawned.  
  
"Well then, maybe we should go to bed; if we wait much longer, we'll sleep through dinner," Draco suggested, glad for another chance to ask to turn in.  
  
"Alright," Hermione said, but didn't move. Draco smiled at his triumph and waited, but Hermione seemed settled and not about to go anywhere.  
  
"Mia, in order for this to happen, you're going to have to get off me," he reminded her but Hermione still didn't move or make a sound. "Mia?" Nothing. "Hermione, I know you're not sleeping," Draco said, sounding almost annoyed.  
  
"Mmm...." was her only reply. Draco sighed.  
  
"Alright Mia, but I am NOT sleeping on the floor," he told her, but she still didn't budge. Draco waited a moment, then sighed again and gently rolled Hermione off of him; now lying on her back. Hermione smiled in her pseudo-sleep and Draco kissed her lips before standing and walking away.  
  
Draco grabbed his wand from his pocket and proceeded toward the bathroom, changing and getting ready for bed. When he returned to the common room, Draco found Hermione still on the floor, a hand on her midsection and her lips parted slightly, her breathing shallow and even. He smiled; she was sleeping.  
  
"I'm going to bed, Mia. Are you staying out here?" he asked playfully, but wasn't really planning on leaving her.  
  
"Mmm..." she said, tilting her head, but otherwise remained still.  
  
"Come, love. You'll freeze," he said and bent down next to her. Draco took Hermione in his arms and she stirred at the unwanted movement.  
  
"Draco, stop... leave me alone... I'll play tomorrow..." she said sleepily, but Draco didn't stop. He smiled and stood, turning toward his room.  
  
"Yeah right, Mia. You'd kill me tomorrow if I left you here," Draco whispered as he passed through the doorway and into his room. He placed her in bed and Hermione rolled toward him, onto her side. Crawling in behind her, Draco encircled her with his arm and held her close, smiling as she unconsciously cuddled into him.  
  
"Good night, Mia."  
  
A/N Aww! And this was a long one, too! Poor Draco; he has so many problems. Haha. Alright, it was incredibly boring and informational, but I'm sorry. The next will be better. Coming up: I swear; the reason Snape is being so weird! Really, really soon! Next chapter, actually! And TELEPATHY! Everyone loves telepathy! That's telekinesis, Kyle! (Tenacious D rules)  
  
Title: Duh, R+J... Romeo is talking to the Friar saying that he'd rather die than live away from Juliet, and it sort of fit, except more extreme than a few hours of detention, but you get my point. Haha. Gotta love the old guy.  
  
PRF:  
  
For FOE:  
  
Malfoy: He meets them at Christmas, and it actually is a teeny bit like meet the parents, but not really.... yes! I LOVE the weekenders! I didn't think ANYONE would catch that! Lol! And Romeo and Juliet DOES rule! It's so awesome!!! Sleep deprivation is a bitch  
  
MoshiMoshiQueen: Here I am, updating again soon! Lol... not as soon as usual, but I'm working on catching up!  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: Yeah, you know... that was my goal... make everyone look stupid... lol. And, yes I am on 'the pill'. I am fifteen, but I've been on it for almost a year... so, yeah. Haha, I've read that fic (A Summer with Draco) she made you the evil slut! I don't think that's too nice, lol!  
  
Hasapi: No offense to anyone who likes it, but I think the Hermione/Snape paring is incredibly disgusting. I never ever, ever read them, just like I never read slash; especially Draco/Harry slash... If you are writing a slash story, more power to you, but please label it as such in your summary! I don't know how many I've accidentally read thinking they were Draco/Hermione ones! D/Hr, D/H... you get confused... but by the time the sex gets in there, you're already too far into the story and you want to finish it... anyway, yeah, no S/Hr for me, sorry...Yeah, Hermione's a badass! And yeah, I'll continue LGG, but I don't really have too many ideas yet, so it could be a while...  
  
Tom's_gurl: The students come back on like Jan. 3rd.... and you will find out what's up with Snape next chapter. Promise. And WE ALL LOVE TOM FELTON!  
  
Jayx: what didn't you understand? Anyway, you will find out next chapter about Snape! Promise!  
  
Draco'sDragon: Oh! You make me blush!  
  
JoeBob1379: Yes, she is, but don't tell anyone! Lol, except the people who read my reviews! Lol... I don't know what I'm going to do with it though; I was planning that since the introduction of the painting, but now I'm not sure what it has to do with anything; I have a little bit of stuff that incorporates it, but it's really very out of place.  
  
Sammi: Tom Felton is TO hot! I think you may be mistaking him for Radcliff or Grint, because Felton is a hottie! I just was saying that it's interesting how everyone implied 'pale boy with a pointed face' as hott... although I agree! My mind Draco is amazing!  
  
Dreamfire: Lol, they're 16 and 17 and have been going out for a month... and no one except Harry, Ron, and a few other people mentioned later know about them; if the kids come back and find out the two people who would gladly have killed each other last year are engaged, all hell will break loose! Lol.  
  
Blah girl: You're coolio. Yeah, I know about US bands, but I'm from the US and I don't really know any England bands, plus I'm in love with Lifehouse, so, yeah... sorry!  
  
Carla: Hermione is NOT anorexic. It was a misunderstanding.  
  
UndomielEvenstar: Yeah, I know there's a lot of kissing, but it just comes out...lol, I don't mean for them to make out every ten seconds, it just happens!  
  
Lily Rainwater: Yeah, I thought it was a good way to introduce the new characters I'm adding as well as have them do a little bonding... lol, you know! Both Snape and the Picture will be explained in due time, lol!  
  
Snapegirl: wow, I don't know where you got that idea from, but no, lol, that doesn't happen. Good try though! You'll find out next Chappie!  
  
For LGG:  
  
Wow to everyone, since everyone seems to like it! I didn't expect it to be that big of a hit, but thanx!  
  
. 


	38. The Manifestation of Malfoy

Disclaimer: Mandy had a HP tale, an HP tale, an HP tale! Mandy read a JK book and took all the characters away! (To the tune of Mary had a little lamb, hehe [I'm Mandy, by the way; PassionPolice237])  
  
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CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT: The Manifestation of Malfoy  
  
Draco and Hermione woke late the next morning, both exhausted from their near all night vigilance.  
  
"Ace," Hermione began, lying on her back and looking up at Draco, who was sitting beside her. "Do you ever fell like everything is too good and things can only get worse?" she asked, turning to look at him and make sure he was being honest with his answer.  
  
"No, not really. That doesn't really make sense," Draco answered and Hermione frowned a little more.  
  
"Yes it does. It's like the fall of the Roman Empire; it just became so big that it couldn't last and fell apart," she explained and Draco nodded, although he really didn't know what she was talking about.  
  
"Like everything is too good to be true," he agreed and Hermione smiled. "Any particular reason why you feel this way?" Draco asked and was a little surprised to see that her smile didn't drop.  
  
"I don't know; I just have this feeling that something is going to happen. I mean, we really don't have that many problems; with the exception of Snape being weird and worrying about what people will think, which I really don't care about, everything is bland, but fine. I don't know; maybe I'm just so used to being threatened that with no one after me, I feel like something is missing," she suggested and Draco looked almost worried, but then his lips curled into a smart-ass smirk.  
  
"That's rather sadistic," he commented and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Yeah, maybe," she agreed, smiling distantly at the pale boy beside her. Suddenly, a wave of ice engulfed Hermione and she curled quickly into a ball, clutching the blankets. "Vvvv..." she said, her teeth mechanically clicking together.  
  
"Alright there, Mia?" Draco asked, chuckling at her predicament. Hermione didn't say anything for a moment and brought her right foot up, placing the bottom directly on Draco's calf. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, jumping. "Your feet are like ice, love," he observed and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yeah, well... that's what you get for laughing at me, Ace. God, aren't you freezing?" Hermione asked, taking note of the thin white t-shirt he still wore. Draco shrugged; he was sitting almost fully straight, his shoulders against the headboard, blankets pooled and forgotten near his waist.  
  
"No, actually; a little on the warm side," he said, his brows scrunched up as if he were having a deep and confusing thought. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Draco asked, very gently.  
  
"Mm, just cold," Hermione repeated, closing her eyes.  
  
"You know, Mia... now that I think about it; I wasn't cold yesterday either and you were shaking in your skin. Maybe we should take you back to Pomfrey," he suggested and Hermione wined.  
  
"No, I don't want to, Ace. The infirmary is REALLY cold, and they make you wear those tacky pajamas," she complained and Draco laughed. "You shouldn't laugh at me, Billy; I'm the one carrying your baby," she said, quoting one of her romance novels, fully expecting Draco to be confused and possibly worried, but he was neither.  
  
"That's not my baby and you know it, Val. I saw you and Allen in the chapel that day," Draco said and Hermione opened her eyes in surprise.  
  
"You've read Candelabra Cortex?" she asked suspiciously and Draco shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"I was curious, so I borrowed it," he explained and Hermione giggled. Draco smiled, but was silent. Then he turned to her. "You're not, are you?"  
  
"Not what?" she asked, still smiling, but no longer pondering Draco's choice of reading material. Draco swallowed and asked, a little nervously,  
  
"C-carrying my baby?" Hermione pondered this for a moment, then smirked a little.  
  
"And what if I am?" she asked smoothly and Draco's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He was in silent shock for a moment, but he answered smartly, hoping to distract her from the obvious emotional overflow.  
  
"Uh," he began, knowing he had to be supportive. "It's fine with me; that's nine months of worry-free sex, right?" Draco said, trying to smirk as convincingly as possible, but Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yes, and I'm sure it will be great fun when my stomach is as big as your ego," she retorted and Draco laughed, momentarily forgetting the seriousness of the topic at hand.  
  
"MY ego? Well Mia, if you're to get that big, we might need a larger bed," he said and Hermione laughed. Then realization hit him again and Draco's smile dropped. Not to a frown, but to nothing; expressionless. "So you really are, then?" he asked again. Hermione looked curiously at him.  
  
"What would you say if I were?" she asked sincerely, enjoying the reaction she was getting out of him, and Draco cracked a bit of a smile.  
  
"I'd say that we are definitely going to see Pomfrey," he said honestly. "All your shaking can't be healthy; especially not this early." Draco turned to stare at nothing, his face a cauldron of emotions, blending to form a dull grey mix that left him looking torn.  
  
"Draco," Hermione said and he turned to her, only the grey shown in his expression. "I'm not pregnant," she told him and he just stared, as if he were reluctant to believe her. "I'm not, I swear," she repeated with a light giggle and Draco gave in and relaxed, bringing a hand to rub at one eye, then slide through his hair.  
  
"Thank god," he said with a smile and Hermione laughed quietly. "You scared me there, Mia," he said nervously and held out his hands. "Look, I'm shaking," Draco pointed out with an amused tone. Hermione moved herself up and closer to him, cuddling up to his chest while he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her tight.  
  
"I'm sorry Ace; that was pretty horrible of me. But hey, at least now I know you won't go ditching me if something like that happens," she pointed out and Draco kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Hermione, I swear to you that I would never leave you because of something like that, if I did it. Actually, you know what? I wouldn't leave if someone else did it, unless, of course, you wanted me to... especially if the git was un-loyal and left you. I thought that was obvious, but if you needed reassurance, you could have just ASKED me. There was no need to scare me senseless," he said, obviously wallowing in relief.  
  
"But then I'd be taking your word for it; now I know for sure. And just so you know, all that stuff about not leaving if it were someone else was unneeded, because that's never going to happen," Hermione told him and Draco smiled, then kissed her again.  
  
"Can't say I'm unhappy to hear that," he said and Hermione smiled too.  
  
"Would it really be THAT terrible if we had a baby?" she said, almost sounding like a plea.  
  
"Mia, I'm not saying that I wouldn't love to have a baby, and for it to be OUR baby, but I don't think now is a good time. We are young, unmarried, haven't finished school yet, we still have training, and neither of us really OWN anything. I mean, your car is probably the most important thing you own, right?  
  
"And technically I own half of the Malfoy estate and will own the rest when, god forbid, my mother passes it on to me, but believe me when I say that Malfoy Manor is no place for a child to grow up. Plus, we've only been together for like a month; wouldn't you like some alone time before we start bringing new people into the picture? What about Seattle? And I don't even want to think about what your parents would do to me," Draco said, all fluently and Hermione knew there were a million more reasons. She smiled.  
  
"They wouldn't do anything directly to you. Mum would make a whole bunch of 'Draco Malfoy; wanted dead or alive' posters while downing at least a bag of chocolate chips a day. Dad would get a tattoo across his forearm which read 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, by morning find Draco beneath the earth's crust'... and, as for me, I would be locked away until my ovaries shrivel up and disappear, so yeah, you're right." Draco laughed a hearty laugh.  
  
"Bloody hell, Mia... the stuff you say about your parents. So grandchildren are not on the top of their priority list, hm? My mum, actually, would probably be thrilled... at least as soon as she awoke from the shock inflicted coma; but it's better than a tattoo," he said and Hermione giggled.  
  
"But really, you're totally right. I don't want a baby right now either. I'm contented with the unbelievably good way things are," she decided. "I'm sorry I scared you."  
  
"And I'm amazingly sorry I read that book. You say you LIKE that stuff? I really will never understand you, or any other woman for that matter," Draco said and Hermione giggled.  
  
"I don't think you're supposed to," she pointed out, then was struck by a violent shiver. Draco's arm tightened and he pulled her closer, waiting out the spasm.  
  
"Are you okay, Hermione?" he asked, a little more than worried.  
  
"Yes, j-just..." Hermione started, snuggling into her inamorato.  
  
"Cold, I know," he finished for her. Although the muggle born girl was wearing a sweatshirt and heavy pajamas, her skin was ice cold to the touch. "Mia, I really think we should go to Pomfrey, just to make sure you're alright. Please?" he asked, holding her close and trying to warm her a little more.  
  
"Ok-kay," she agreed, still feeling the chilling waves. "But now right now," she decided and Draco did not object; at least he had gotten her to agree to go.  
  
"Alright, you don't have to go now," he agreed and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Ace..." she whispered into his chest and Draco kissed her once more.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Half past two that afternoon, Draco walked a shivering Hermione to the hospital wing. She had dressed in as much as she could and walked close to Draco, for his body heat as much as for him. Draco could tell that Hermione didn't want to go, but she wasn't resisting, and that was better than the last time.  
  
The couple walked in silence, Hermione looking somber and Draco frowning because of it. In an attempt to cheer her up a bit, he kissed behind her ear; one of his favorite spots. Hermione smiled up at him for a moment, then went back to looking as if she were walking to the electric chair. Draco sighed and continued to walk with her, now nothing to think about but his worries.  
  
Entering the hospital noiselessly, neither could see the nurse anywhere. Hermione sighed and looked up at Draco.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey?" she called, somewhat reluctantly, still looking at him. Draco gave her an 'I'm sorry' look and Hermione turned away.  
  
"Miss Granger?" a worried cry came from the direction of the nurse's office. A moment later, a flustered medi-witch hustled into the room. Draco pricked up an eyebrow at Pomfrey, who was looking as if she'd had a run in with a professional snogger; rumpled, kissed, and flustered.  
  
"Are you alright, Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked, eyeing the nurse suspiciously. Pomfrey hesitated just a moment before she spoke.  
  
"I believe that's a question I should be asking you, Miss Granger. What brings you back, dear?" she asked, sounding concerned.  
  
"Well, I've just been unbelievably cold the past couple days, and you said to come back if I felt strange," Hermione explained, but was still looking suspicious. Pomfrey nodded.  
  
"Yes, I thought that might happen; side-effect of the potion used to cure the side-effect of the curse. Have a seat, I think I have something that might help you," she said and turned away. Hermione moved to the closest bed, but did not sit as requested. Draco stared after Pomfrey, then turned to her.  
  
"Did it look like she'd just been-" he asked suspiciously and Hermione nodded. "I thought so," he said and glanced back toward the medi-witch. "She's coming back." Hermione turned toward the nurse just as she looked up with a smile.  
  
"Here, I have two that could help. Take this one, dear; it should work almost instantly," the nurse said and Hermione took the baby blue potion she offered her. With a sigh, the still shivering brunette drank down the medicine, and was surprised to see that it didn't taste as awful as expected. In fact, it was sweet and reminded her of blueberries. "Just a moment," Pomfrey said, and they all waited.  
  
It hadn't been a minute when Hermione began to hear murmuring. She listened closely for a moment, and the mumble became clearer. Hermione looked up at Draco as she recognized it as his voice, but to her surprise, his lips weren't moving.  
  
^Can you hear me, Hermione? ^ said a voice which sounded like a young Madam Pomfrey. Hermione snapped her head to the nurse, who was looking casually at her nails. The voice laughed, but Pomfrey didn't look fazed. ^I'll take that as a yes. Listen to me, alright? You're not crazy; I'm Madam Pomfrey. I need you to do something for me. First, when I ask if you're any better, say no so I can give you a potion that really will help you,^ the voice said and Hermione stared at the nurse, who was looking as if nothing were happening. Then she sighed and looked to Hermione.  
  
"Are you feeling any different, Miss Granger?" she asked, then the voice spoke up again.  
  
^Say no, Hermione,^ it told her and Hermione obeyed, shaking her head.  
  
"Alright, try this one, then," Pomfrey said and gave her the other potion. Hermione, who had no idea what was happening, decided to comply with both Pomfrey and the voice. Since both were silent at the moment, Draco's private mumbling became clearer. He was evidently thinking primarily about her, but quieter voices said things about his upcoming detention and his hatred of Snape.  
  
Hermione drank the new potion, which was an interestingly fowl tasting pale green and instantly felt a warm wave of shiver relief.  
  
"How's that?" Pomfrey said.  
  
"Much better," Hermione said with a smile as she savored the new warmth.  
  
^Thank god,^ she heard Draco's voice say, quite loudly, and turned to him with a smile. He was looking warmly at her, as if she'd just said the most wonderful thing he'd ever heard.  
  
"Good, good; you may go, then," Pomfrey said, then followed it with a thought.  
  
^Hermione, I really need your help with something. I need you to leave as if nothing were wrong, then wait outside the door. Please, this is very important, ^ she thought. Hermione nodded, but it was thought to be acceptance of her dismissal.  
  
Hermione straitened and grabbed Draco's hand, then walked as casually as possible out the doors. Once outside, Hermione put her ear up to the door as if to hear what was happening inside.  
  
"Mia?" Draco asked, but Hermione held up her hand to silence him.  
  
^Alright, now this is just plain weird behavior. I never thought she'd be one to listen in on people when they're...^ Draco began, but his thought was cut short.  
  
"I'm not, now could you just hush up a minute?" Hermione said, waiting for Pomfrey to start talking to her. Draco looked surprised and held out his hands, palms splayed.  
  
"I didn't say anything!" he said and Hermione sighed.  
  
"I know. Look, I can't explain right now, and I know this sounds absurd, but I need you to stop thinking for a while. It's distracting," she said and Draco's jaw dropped. Most people, when told not to think, would automatically do nothing other, but, lucky for Hermione, Draco was not only speechless, he was also thoughtless.  
  
^Hermione? Oh, please be able to hear me,^ Pomfrey thought to her, then began explaining her frightening predicament. Hermione's eyes widened and she gasped when she heard everything Pomfrey was saying.  
  
Draco simply stood there, looking a bit scared of her. He couldn't help but to subconsciously begin to think again.  
  
^What the hell is going on?^ he wondered, not realizing he had done it.  
  
"Shh," Hermione scolded and continued to listen to Pomfrey.  
  
^Go, Hermione. Get help, he's in here now; please!^ the nurse begged. Hermione wasted not a moment and grabbed Draco's hand, then sped off down the corridor.  
  
"Hermione, are you going to tell me what's going on or am I just supposed to stay in the dark and follow you around?" he asked and Hermione kept walking, taking long strides and moving fast.  
  
"It's Snape," she told him and Draco nodded, still having no idea what was going on.  
  
^Wait, does she mean that Pomfrey and Snape were...^  
  
"Are you telling me that Pomfrey was in there with SNAPE?" Draco asked and Hermione giggled at the irony of his repeating himself.  
  
"Yes, but it's not entirely what you think. She's not exactly enjoying it, if you know what I mean," Hermione explained and turned to go down a staircase. "Shit," she said as it began to move half way through her descent.  
  
"And how do you know this, exactly?" Draco asked, ignoring her remark about the staircases.  
  
"She told me, when I was standing outside the door. That first potion I took let me read her mind and yours, which is why I told you to stop thinking," Hermione said, using the wasted time waiting for the staircase to explain.  
  
"What? I don't believe you," Draco said, looking skeptical. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yes, Ace. I was totally making all that up, you caught me. Fine; think something and I'll tell you what it was," she said, just as the ground beneath them halted. Taking his hand, she hurried down the stairs.  
  
^Asleep, Hermione Granger is the most gorgeous thing I've ever laid eyes on,^ he thought at her and Hermione blushed before turning to him.  
  
"But not when I'm awake?" she asked and Draco laughed, however a bit nervously.  
  
"Alright, I believe you. So, what was actually going on in there?" he asked, taking slightly elongated strides to keep up with Hermione's hurried pace.  
  
"I don't exactly know; she said that Snape was there and she needed me to get help. She's obviously in trouble or she wouldn't have bothered to make me read her mind when she could have just told me and, judging by the way she looked when she came out of her office, I'm assuming I know what's happening," Hermione said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Okay... so where are we going?"  
  
"Dumbledore; where else?" she answered and turned down the hall which led to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Ah," Draco said in understanding and stopped with Hermione at the doors of their destination.  
  
"Wait for me?" she asked, smiling at Draco.  
  
"Of course," he answered and Hermione gave him a quick kiss before taking a step up and knocking on the door. A reply was heard from the old man within and Hermione slid into the room, leaving Draco alone outside.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco leaned against the wall, head down and hands in his pockets. **Alright,** he thought, **Mia can read minds, Pomfrey is possibly being raped or tortured by Snape as we speak, and now we're asking Dumbledore if he'll walk in on them for us. Okay, did that just happen all in like ten minutes?"** he asked himself, shocked by the speed at which everything had hit him. **Does this mean I won't have detention? Wait, what am I saying!? An innocent woman is in potentially serious danger and all I say is 'what about detention?'? That's just wonderful of me,** he thought sadly, forgetting that Hermione could hear every word, then sighed. **I guess the Malfoy gene doesn't die easy.**  
  
Draco didn't have to wait long; Hermione returned with Dumbledore not a moment after this thought and the headmaster started immediately for the hospital wing. Hermione looked to Draco as if she pitied him and Draco pricked up an eyebrow.  
  
"What?" he asked, but Hermione just shook her head and took his hand. She headed toward the hospital wing, but much slower this time. Draco looked curiously at her for a moment, then turned his head to the ground.  
  
"He told me to hang back and let him deal with the, um... situation," she explained, although he hadn't asked. Draco didn't look up, just nodded and kept his eyes on the floor. "Are you alright, Ace?" Draco smiled and looked up at her, then kissed her cheek.  
  
"So, what's the answer to the one question everyone's asking?" Draco asked with a smirk.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, although she knew. It was hard not to listen to Draco thinking, although she tried. Through this, Hermione also knew that it bothered him when she read his mind, so she played as if she couldn't.  
  
"What's Dumbledore thinking?" he asked and she laughed. Draco smiled, glad he could still make her laugh.  
  
"Actually," Hermione said, "I couldn't hear him. I can hear you and Pomfrey, not Snape... but I think that was because he was too far away. Dumbledore must have taught himself not to think," she said with a bit of a laugh.  
  
"Either that or he has no problems and nothing to think about," Draco said with a slightly sad smile and Hermione put on the same one. She turned back to the floor and took a stuttered breath.  
  
"Draco, I don't want to go back there," she said, holding her eyes closed and his hand tight. Draco turned sharply to her, face confused as well as worried. He stopped them and stepped in front of her.  
  
"It's alright, Mia. You don't have to go if you don't want to," he told her and Hermione embraced him, letting go of his hand and bringing hers up his back to hold him close. Draco was a little worried, feeling completely in the dark, but hugged her back. "We can go back to the common room, love," he suggested gently, softly running a hand up her back.  
  
"Yeah, okay," she said, pulling away and wiping her eyes, although they were devoid of tears. Draco wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and led Hermione in a circle, turning in the direction of the common room. She was quiet, looking thoughtfully at the floor with a frown.  
  
"Do you know all my deepest darkest secrets now?" Draco asked, then looked as if he were annoyed by his own stupidity. Hermione looked up with surprise, ignoring the mental cursing Draco was issuing himself. "I'm sorry," he said, looking down.  
  
"No, that was just unexpected, which is weird. You didn't think that before you said it," Hermione said, looking curious.  
  
"Oh, is that all? I don't see why that's surprising; I say stuff without thinking all the time. If I didn't, you'd never be mad at me," Draco said with a smirk and Hermione smiled.  
  
"In answer to your question, no. I don't know anything unless you're thinking it right now," she said and Draco frowned.  
  
"And knowing that means I'm going to think of every one of them in quick succession," he complained. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Well, sing so I can't hear you," she suggested and Draco took a breath. "In your head, sing in your head," she corrected herself before he could utter a note. Draco exhaled and put on his pouting face. Hermione giggled and placed a hand below his chin. "Now THAT'S attractive," she said mockingly and Draco smirked.  
  
"I try," he said with a shrug. Hermione smiled and kissed him quickly.  
  
"Now, if only you would do that while you sleep," she said pleadingly and Draco smiled.  
  
"I thought I was already attractive when I sleep?" he reminded her and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"A little more couldn't hurt," she said smartly and breathed a cheery sigh. Draco briefly wondered how she could change her mood so quickly. Only minutes ago did she seem scared out of her mind, but now she acted as if everything was wonderful.  
  
^Must be PMS or something,^ he dismissed it and Hermione looked fiercely at him.  
  
"Draco! I heard that! That was very... very..." Hermione scolded, finding herself without words.  
  
^Chauvinistic,^ Draco thought in answer and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Yes, very chauvinistic of you," she agreed and Draco frowned.  
  
"Sorry. I didn't say it though, so you can't be mad at me," he said in defense and Hermione nodded.  
  
"I wouldn't have been anyway, but just know that that thought wasn't appreciated."  
  
"I know. Can I ask you something?" he asked and Hermione nodded, but answered before he could ask the question.  
  
"Because it's degrading. Every time a girl gets pissed off about something, guys automatically blame it on that, as if hormones are the only cause of feelings. It's only natural that we would get defensive," she explained in answer to his unasked question of why girls get upset whenever PMS is mentioned. Draco nodded and turned his face back ahead of him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
As they reached the portrait, both Draco and Hermione were surprised to see that there were no adults in their painting. Just the little girl, who's excitement was growing as she saw the two approach.  
  
"Hello Narcissa, where is your father?" Draco asked the girl kindly and Hermione looked adoringly at him. The girl was practically shrieking in excitement.  
  
"Daddy's down the hall with Angie. He said that if I was good he would let me guard the door by myself," she said smiling widely. "Do you want to go in? I'm supposed to ask for the password," she said, then screwed up her face in deep thought.  
  
"The password is popcorn," Hermione jumped in, speaking softly. The little girl's smile brightened and she nodded.  
  
"Yes, it is. This is so much fun, I get to open the door!" she squealed.  
  
"Congratulations, Narcissa," Draco said with a soft smile and Hermione looked to him again. Narcissa opened the door for them and Draco and Hermione entered, hearing the pleasured laughs of the little child behind them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco looked to the tiny Hogsmeade mantle clock and sighed. It was five o'clock and they still hadn't heard a word from Dumbledore or Pomfrey. Then he turned to Hermione, who was smiling and looking at him, her book open but lying cover up against her chest.  
  
"What?" he asked with a smile, pulling down his headphones. Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Nothing, just listening to... whatever that was you were listening to. I like it; who are they?" she answered and Draco smiled.  
  
"System of a Down. Can you really hear it or is it another one of those telepathy things?" Draco asked, planning on turning it down if she could hear.  
  
"It's from you head, but only because you're singing along. If you didn't know the songs, I probably wouldn't hear. God, how long is this going to last, anyway? I'm sick of always knowing what you're going to say before you say it. This has totally killed your aura of unpredictability," Hermione complained and Draco frowned.  
  
"Do you really know what I'm going to say before I say it?" Draco asked, but Hermione was already nodding.  
  
"Maybe you need an antidote," they said at the same time. "Okay, that's just creepy," once again in unison. "Hermione, stop!" together was demanded. Draco looked a little angered; annoyed at her ability. "Draco Malfoy is the hottest man I've ever seen." Hermione blushed, but didn't back down.  
  
"I wish that butter delusion would come true," Hermione said, thinking Draco was about to, but he remained smirking and silent. "I can't believe you made me say that!" she yelled, this time speaking alone. Draco laughed.  
  
"I didn't make you say anything, love. If you'd stop saying everything I do, then you wouldn't have had that problem, would you?" he reasoned, annoyed that Hermione was silently mouthing the words as he spoke them. "Alright, that's it," he said, standing up. "We're going to find Dumbledore or Pomfrey or somebody and try and silence your new abilities. You wouldn't believe how annoying it is not to have any privacy at all," Draco said, looking like he meant business. Hermione was almost scared.  
  
Not only was Draco acting hostile, he wasn't rethinking it, and he didn't notice her slight fear. Hermione swallowed.  
  
"Okay," she said, however a bit hesitantly. Hermione stood and moved toward the door, trying to keep her distance. She couldn't deny that she would hate it if Draco could read her mind and anticipate every word she spoke, but he was somewhat scary just now. Before leaving the room, Hermione turned back to him and saw that Draco was indeed following her, the look of seriousness still on her face. It unnerved her that she was absolutely sure that he felt no differently than he had moments before.  
  
Draco took Hermione's hand as he came up to her and she was both pleased and surprised that his touch was as gentle as ever. If Draco had been at all rough just then, Hermione couldn't deny that she would have broken down right then and there.  
  
^It's not her fault,^ she heard Draco repeat over and over to himself and smiled.  
  
Draco pulled her out into the hall and started toward the hospital wing. Hermione sadly looked up at him; seeing how ruthless he looked scared her even more. He looked like the Malfoy she had met in first year, not the Draco she now shared a common room with.  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco," she said quietly; the fact that Draco was pulling her by the wrist and not holding her hand was almost too much for her to take. He turned to her, his face still very Malfoy-like. Hermione was facing the floor, head down and eyes closed, looking very sad and regretful. At Draco's swift head motion, she gasped and looked up, causing Draco to stop dead in his tracks as he finally noticed how she seemed to be scared. He dropped her wrist, then just stood still, a look of horror on his face.  
  
^She's scared. Hermione is afraid of me. Oh, god, what have I done?^ Draco thought after looking away, forgetting again that Hermione could hear each word. ^ I promised... I said I wouldn't be like him... I said I'd never hurt her... This isn't the first time I've broken that promise, is it? But this is the first time she's been afraid. Ever. The first time she's ever given me the look that asks me to spare her. Hermione, the girl I could threaten with my wand to her throat and get a laugh before that look, is afraid.^  
  
Draco kept his eyes off Hermione, and because of it he missed the sight of the fear melting away and becoming something more like pity. Then, when he had finished his thought, Hermione stepped up and put her arms around him, holding her head against his chest. Draco was limp for a moment, but then he roughly embraced her, hugging her as if he would never see her again.  
  
^I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,^ he thought and Hermione wasn't sure if it had been directed to her or if it were just a thought, but she could care less. Malfoy was gone for the moment, and Draco had returned to her.  
  
"What say you get the fuck out of my head, aye Granger?" Draco asked and they both laughed.  
  
"I totally agree. I don't like this any more than you do, Malfoy," Hermione shot back, making no attempt to break free from his arms.  
  
"I know, it's not your fault... I'm sorry Mia. I'm sorry I scared you; I don't know why I got like that, I just... don't know what to say," Draco said sadly, moving a hand to hold her head to his chest like something precious and valuable.  
  
"I know," Hermione said understandingly.  
  
"Of course you do," he said with a smirk. Hermione looked up with a smile and Draco kissed her. "Hermione, I really am sorry," Draco said with deep honesty, and she nodded.  
  
A/N: Oh, come ON, I HAD to put SOME thing bad like that in! I mean, come one... if that were happening to you, wouldn't you get a little pissed off too? And he's never mad at her; it's about time... she gets mad at him, but he's never mad anymore... which I admit is OOC, but I'm sorry. That's just the way it is. Now he's mad, and for good reason, but he shouldn't have scared her anyway; it's not like it was her fault...but, anyway...  
  
Title: Look guys! For once, no Romeo and Juliet! I was GOING to call it something like 'Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end' because of the potion, but that was a little too overdramatic, because no one died.... although Snape was 'reprimanded'  
  
I know this doesn't fully explain the Snape thing, and I don't get around to spelling it out until later, but basically; he wasn't after Mia, ever. J/fyi.  
  
PRF:  
  
Purplerks: Thanx! I'm glad you finally got caught up! Brothers are jerks! And Draco/Hermione is the ONLY couple in MY world of Harry Potter. I hate that kid. The main characters ALWAYS get ALL the attention...er... lol, duh!  
  
Carla: Hey! You're back! Yippie! Missed ya! Thanx for reviewing, lol, and I'm sorry if there's too much R+J.... there isn't a lot in the story, so don't punish Draco and Hermione! Lol... they don't deserve to die! ::sniff:: haha As for ending? Never. As for disclaimers? I try, hehe. And I changed her birthday because I wanted her to be younger than Draco, but I didn't what him to be 18 yet... hehe  
  
Lirawen: Hey, at least you're not a hypocrite. Ha, man, I can't even say that with a straight face.... haha.  
  
MoshiMoshiQueen: The TOTAL best couple! There IS no OTHER! Lol. Yes, haven't quite decided what to do about that... don't worry; it will come... my muse is being generous lately... hehe! I love that chica!  
  
Arime Setta: Sure, I'll email you! You should be getting the notification for this chapter! Let me know if you don't!  
  
Iris: Haha, my cat's name is Iris... anyway... thanx! I love dem kissers!  
  
Nikki: No... it wasn't Darry, it was Dally. Darry was the older brother of Sodapop and Ponyboy. Dally was that dude who really liked Johnny.  
  
Prantis: THIS chapter! Hehe  
  
Draco's Dragon: Why, thank you! 


	39. Being Holiday, The Beggar's Shop is Shut

A/N: I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY! I AM A TERRIBLE PERSON! LOL, it's been almost five days! Do I even HAVE anyone still waiting? Do you even remember what my story is ABOUT? I'M SORRY!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't feel too creative. ::deep breath:: here goes: TINY LITTLE ELFIN ALLIGATORS ARE NIBBLING ON MY.... HEY! IS THAT MY GREAT WHITE CD? ::BOOM!!!!:: Damn pyrotechnics.... anyway, I didn't think up these here characters and what-not. And I actually do have the Great White CD, lol... but it didn't explode... :o(  
  
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CHAPTER THIRTY NINE: Being Holiday, The Beggar's Shop is Shut  
  
The two found Dumbledore in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey, drinking tea and having a seemly enjoyable conversation. Hermione entered in front of Draco and the door creaked as it closed behind them. Madam Pomfrey made a small gasp and turned toward the door, her startle changing to a gratified happiness to see her savior. The nurse stood from her chair and walked quickly to Hermione, enveloping her with her arms and squeezing her tight.  
  
"Thank you so much, Hermione," she said and released the girl.  
  
"It's nothing Madam Pomfrey. Anyone would have done the same," Hermione said, smiling as the nurse released her. "I hate to bother you, but is there some way to stop this mind-reading? An antidote of some sort?"  
  
"Oh, yes. I'm sorry dear, I'd forgotten all about that. Just a moment," she said and hurried away into her office. Hermione watched her go, then turned to Dumbledore.  
  
"Professor," she began, taking a step closer and keeping her voice low. "Is everything all right? What happened?" Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Nothing that couldn't be handled, Miss Granger. Sadly, I must say that your suspicions were correct. Snape has been reprimanded for the time being and everyone is perfectly fine," Dumbledore paused, then opened his mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by Pomfrey.  
  
"Here we are, dear!" she called, bustling over and handing Hermione one of the familiar vials. She smiled and drank it with a smile. "Yes," Pomfrey said, nodding. "Non-medicinal potions usually taste a bit better."  
  
"Thanks," Hermione said, handing back the empty vial and looking up at Draco with a smile. She sighed happily as his consistent mumbling faded away. "I can't hear you, Ace," she said and Draco smiled. Neither noticed Pomfrey and Dumbledore share a knowing glance.  
  
"Was there something else you needed, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked and both teens looked away from each other and at the professor. The old man held his eyebrows raised and Hermione looked back at Draco, who in turn looked to her. 'Detention,' she mouthed, reminding him of unfinished business.  
  
"Oh, right. Forgive me Madam Pomfrey," Draco said to the nurse, then turned to Dumbledore. "Professor, Snape has given me detentions for every night until Christmas Eve. Who do I go to now that he's... indisposed? Must I still attend?" he asked, a little nervously, feeling guilty about mentioning the man to the nurse so soon after such an incident. Pomfrey flinched at the name, but otherwise didn't show any emotion whatsoever.  
  
"I can not cancel your detentions, Mr. Malfoy. You shall serve them as scheduled, although I'm sure you did nothing to deserve them," Dumbledore said and Draco nodded, although a little disappointed.  
  
"Seven o'clock, then. Where should I report?" Draco asked and Dumbledore cocked his head, wearing a knowing smile.  
  
"Why don't you report to my office; I'm sure I can think of something for you to do," the headmaster said and both students smiled widely and looked to each other.  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Draco said, almost excited about a detention with the headmaster. At least it wouldn't be seven hours of sorting vials while wand-less.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
After a quick dinner, Draco and Hermione returned to their common room. The two sat together on one of their sofas and talked sparsely about anything that came to them. Draco tried to stay away from any subjects that could lead to talk of Snape or Pomfrey and in return, Hermione didn't mention the temporary personality lapse which had occurred in him earlier.  
  
When seven o'clock came to greet them, Draco was sitting awake on the couch, legs across the cushions, stroking Hermione's hair while she slept on top of him, and savoring his last few moments with her. He waited until exactly five of, then sighed, gently slipping out from underneath Hermione and placing her softly on the sofa, replacing himself with a pillow below her head. Draco smiled as he looked at her, so angelic and innocent in her sleep.  
  
Draco stood and, although he could easily have taken the Gryffindor throw from behind her, retrieved from the other sofa his Slytherin blanket. He draped it over his sleeping beauty and turned away, walking to his desk and scribbling a quick note for her. Smirking at his romantic ingenious, Draco transfigured a quill into a black rose with blood red thorns. He walked back to Hermione and placed both the flower and the note on the floor for her to find. A kiss was what he left her with and Hermione smiled in her slumber.  
  
She woke about an hour later, smiling as the scent of Draco's cologne was picked up. Hermione opened her eyes and was a bit disappointed to find that the scent came from the dark green throw and not her pale blonde boyfriend. Her smile re-hung itself as she noticed the sweet flower on the ground. Reaching out to lift the sentiment, Hermione noticed the hastily written note.  
  
"Mia,  
  
Detention, remember? I didn't want to wake you; you're gorgeous when you sleep. I would assume that I shall return earlier tonight, but, regardless, don't wait up for me. I love you.  
  
-Ace"  
  
Hermione smiled warmly at the note, then the disappointment came back. She had been planning to go with him. Now that his detention was with Dumbledore, what reason was there not to come along? A little unsure, Hermione decided it was alright. She almost liked being away from Draco for a few hours. It was hell while he was gone, but heaven when he returned. **Maybe this is good for me. **  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Failing to locate Crookshanks for company, Hermione grabbed a pullover and decided to go for a walk. She took her rose with her, twisting it between her fingers with the blossom spinning just below her nose as she dreamily walked down the hall.  
  
"You seem happy, dear," the kind voice of Angelina Walters commented with a giggle. Hermione turned to her with a smile, taking a closer note of her than she had before. The woman seemed to be in her late twenties to early thirties and wore a long and flowing sheer white gown, which showed a good bit of her cleavage. Angelina's hair was done up in a tight bun, covered in a white fishnet cap, and she wore a light blush on her cheeks. At this point in time, she was holding her little black kitten.  
  
"Oh, but I am. How are you, Miss Walters?" Hermione asked, stepping up to the picture.  
  
"I'm fine dear, but please, call me Angelina," she insisted. Hermione smiled and nodded.  
  
"Call me Hermione, then."  
  
"Well, Hermione; what brings you from the common room so late in the evening?" Angelina asked and Hermione looked again to her rose.  
  
"I was lonely. Draco has detention again and I can't find my cat," she explained and Angelina laughed.  
  
"Well, I hate to tell you this, but Tescos here has proven that cats aren't much company either," she said and Hermione laughed. "Won't you stay a while? I'd love to hear more about your handsome young mister," she then asked, looking down the hall as if Draco were coming around the corner. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I'd love to. The only real feminine contact I've had in four months is Pomfrey, McGonagall, and through letters," Hermione agreed and sat down on the floor opposite the woman's painting.  
  
The two began talking, mostly about Draco, and bonded quickly. Angelina told Hermione about her secret crush on Mr. VanRosner and Hermione promised not to tell anyone. It was as if they were two twelve year olds at a slumber party.  
  
This was how Draco found them two hours later; Hermione lying on the floor with her eyes closed, still fiddling his rose, and Angelina, sitting in her throne chair and gabbing. As he approached, Draco thought he could hear voices, then two girls giggling. He walked stealthily down the hall, a finger to his lips to request no noise from Angelina. She mimicked him in understanding and Draco crept up to Hermione, who was obliviant and jabbering on about a book she'd read that was similar to Angelina's most recent story.  
  
Draco got down on his hands and knees and crawled over to Hermione. He placed a hand over her mouth and she stopped talking, making a peep of surprise and popping her eyes open to see Draco's upside-down and smirking face.  
  
"Do you ever shut up?" he asked good naturedly. Hermione smiled below his palm and Draco removed it, replacing it with his lips in a kinky backwards kiss. It was interesting to say the least.  
  
"Well, hello to you too," she said smartly and Draco laughed.  
  
"Hi. What are you doing, Mia?" he asked and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Well, I WAS carrying on a conversation until you interrupted me, Ace," she said and sat up, then she extended her hand, indicating the portrait. "This is Angelina Walters; Narcissa's babysitter."  
  
"Oh," Draco said and turned to the woman. "Pleasure," he said with a curt nod and Angelina smiled.  
  
"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Malfoy," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"Call me Draco," he insisted and Angelina nodded. The three conversed for only about a half an hour more before Draco and Hermione decided to retire to the common room. The two promptly went to bed, briefly discussing Draco's detention. It had been much more enjoyable; he was sent to pay the house elves, brought a bucket of rocks to McGonagall, having no clue what they were for, and spent the rest of his time cleaning the paintings in and around the great hall with a paint renewal potion.  
  
It wasn't so bad with so many people to talk to, although it was rather time consuming. When Dumbledore let him go at ten, Draco was no where near finished, but the headmaster insisted he resume the next night and get some sleep.  
  
Hermione was happy for Draco, but very tired indeed; it had been a long day. She fell asleep without him noticing, listening to Draco jabbering about a man who continuously complained of streaks on his world-view window.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Everyday until Christmas Eve went much the same. Hermione had wanted to accompany Draco to his detentions, but he insisted that she stay and have more fun with Angelina. Hermione agreed, remembering how good it felt to see him again after being deprived for a few hours. Draco walked with Hermione to Angelina's portrait, kissed her goodbye, and left her to giggle and chat with her friend.  
  
He would serve his detention, mostly cleaning paintings, then would return and steal Hermione away to the common room. Both agreed that it wasn't so bad; Hermione had someone to share estrogen related problems with and Draco didn't have to spend a thousand hours with Snape.  
  
The night of December twenty third, Draco was cleaning a painting outside the transfiguration classroom when Dumbledore approached him.  
  
"Hello Professor. I'm almost finished here; do you have another assignment for me?" Draco asked with a weary smile and Dumbledore ginned.  
  
"One could say such," he said and held out an envelope to Draco. "I'd like you to go to Hogsmeade for me, Mr. Malfoy. I have a list of items here, as well as enough galleons to cover it. Please bring them with you when you report for detention tomorrow," Dumbledore said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Of course, Professor. What shall I do now?" he asked, slipping the list into his back pocket.  
  
"I do believe there is a young lady waiting for you this evening? Once you are finished with this painting, you may be dismissed," Dumbledore said and smiled as Draco confusedly looked to his watch.  
  
"But it's only eight thirty," he said, sounding a little surprised. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"Yes, I know, Mr. Malfoy. I will see you tomorrow evening," he said and turned away.  
  
"Thank you, Professor," he said to the receding back of Dumbledore, then turned back to his half clean landscape. "Hm," he said, raising his eyebrows in surprise, then finished with his chore.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Draco, you're early," Hermione said from the floor of the hall as Draco walked toward her.  
  
"Is that a problem?" he asked with a smirk, knowing by her ecstatic smile that she had no problem with it whatsoever. Hermione stood and giggled as he came up and kissed her.  
  
"Nope, no problem," she said with a smile. "But really, did you run away? Probably not 0the best idea," she smirked, placing her hands on his shoulders, and Angelina laughed. Draco smiled and kissed her again.  
  
"No, he actually let me go. That guy's insane; not even Hagrid would let someone off with only an hour and a half," Draco said, looking a bit disbelieving.  
  
"Maybe he feels sorry for you, dear. You've been working every night for almost a week without complaint. Dumbledore is one to take mercy on people," Angelina suggested and Draco turned to her. He shrugged a shoulder and looked back to Hermione with a devious smile.  
  
"As long as it gets me out of detention," he said a bit huskily and Hermione giggled, then kissed him again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco and Hermione talked with Angelina for just over an hour before heading for the common room. After some rather intense snogging, the couple went to bed. Since neither were very tired, Draco and Hermione simply lounged together, talking and kissing as the fire died down.  
  
"Did we think of anything to do on Christmas, Mia?" Draco asked, kissing Hermione's neck as she lay on her back beside him.  
  
"No, not really, unless you have something in mind," she said calmly, hands folded on her abdomen.  
  
"Hm," Draco mumbled, continuing to kiss her. "Oh yeah; we have to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Why?" she asked suspiciously and Draco smirked.  
  
"Because Dumbledore told me to," he answered and she laughed.  
  
"Good reason."  
  
"Yeah, I thought so," he agreed. "Except the last time I went, I got a week's worth of detention and had to spend almost twenty hours away from you."  
  
"Don't worry; if you get any more, I'll just do something really bad and get one too," Hermione said and Draco snorted. "What?"  
  
"Has ANYone other than Snape EVER given you detention?" he asked and Hermione turned to him slightly.  
  
"Yes; McGonagall. Remember the baby dragon incident in first year in which you, just being you, tattled and landed us all a nice little walk in the forest?" she said smartly and Draco chuckled again.  
  
"Yeah, I remember that," he said, smiling.  
  
"God, you were such a wimp. You practically begged Hagrid for that ruddy dog to come along with you," she joked, smirking.  
  
"I won't deny that. I was a spoiled and neglected little pussy pre-teen. And just so you know, Fang was more afraid than I was," Draco said and Hermione laughed. Draco kissed her and she smiled, her eyes closed.  
  
"I think it's time for me to get gorgeous again," she said dreamily and he kissed her once more.  
  
"Be my guest, love," he agreed and she happily sighed, taking his advice.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
When Draco awoke the next morning, he opened his eyes to see a very intimidating pair of yellow ones staring back at him. He jumped a little and heard Hermione giggle. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Draco glared at the cat which sat arrogantly on his girlfriend's lap.  
  
"You think that's funny do you?" he asked, rubbing an eye and looking up at Hermione. She nodded, stroking the large orange feline.  
  
"Quite," she agreed.  
  
"Mia, I think your cat has it in for me," he said, not taking his eyes off the intruder.  
  
"No he doesn't, do you Crookshanks?" she asked in a baby voice, scratching behind the tabby cat's ear. Crookshanks tilted his head upward and closed his eyes innocently. "No, of course not." Draco just shook his head at her. Then, he pricked up an eyebrow.  
  
"Wait, why is it even in here? It's never come in our room before," he asked and Hermione smiled.  
  
"He must be warming up to you. We had a talk about him barricading himself in my room all the time, didn't we?" she asked the cat, who flicked his tail. "Yes, and I said to be more affectionate. As we've established many times, no one can say no to me, can they?" she said, still looking at the cat. Then, she turned to Draco with a smile. "Crookshanks is no exception."  
  
"You had a talk with a cat, that cat of all cats, and it listened to you?" Draco asked with a smirk and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Of course. Crookshanks loves me, don't you? Yes you do," she cooed and Draco laughed.  
  
"Right," he said, nodding his head.  
  
"Don't worry, Draco. He loves you too, don't you, Crookshanks?" The cat opened its eyes and glared at Draco, then cocked open his mouth and attempted to be intimidating, showing his fangs. Draco laughed, although a little nervously.  
  
"Yes, Mia. That's love if I ever saw it," he joked and Hermione pursed her lips together.  
  
"Alright," she agreed. "Maybe love was too strong a word. I'm very disappointed in you, Crookshanks. If you can't play nice, then you're going to have to leave," she said, taking her hands away from the fuzz ball and pointing her left arm toward the door. "Go on now, shoo!" she said and the cat reluctantly got up. He stretched lazily on the bed, then, making sure to walk hardly, made his way across Draco's stomach and jumped down to the floor.  
  
"Ow," Draco grumbled, rubbing gingerly at the spot where the cat had just stepped. Hermione laughed. "I don't get you, Mia. First you have a talk with your cat about being nice to me, then you laugh when I wake up to the face of a professional rodent hit-man, then you yell at the thing for not playing nice, and now you're laughing because it's given me internal bleeding. Whose side are you on, anyway?" he asked and Hermione laughed, then rolled onto her side and moved down to give him a kiss.  
  
"I don't take sides," she said and Draco snorted.  
  
"Of course you don't, Hermione," he said and rolled his eyes, still smiling.  
  
"Nope, I'm neutral; like Switzerland," she continued, smiling.  
  
"Actually, I don't think Switzerland ever threatened to slap me when Potter fell of his broom and Slytherin won the last game they've ever won in third year," he reminded her and Hermione laughed.  
  
"You know, I've always thought you pushed him," she smirked. Draco sighed.  
  
"Yes, Mia. I frequently push unsuspecting people from brooms hundreds of feet from the ground just so I can win something I never wanted or expected to win anyway," he said sarcastically. Hermione shrugged a shoulder and smirked.  
  
"Hey, you never know," she said and gave him another kiss. "Now that YOU are finally awake," Hermione started, poking him in the chest. "I'm getting up," she said and Draco tried to look innocent.  
  
"Sorry, love, but you could have gotten up whenever you wanted to," he said, smiling and looking the exact opposite of guilty.  
  
"Right, and you wouldn't have freaked out?" Hermione inquired, raising an eyebrow. Draco, still looking childlike, shook his head.  
  
"No. I wouldn't really have worried unless I got up and couldn't find you," he told her and Hermione kissed him, hard.  
  
"Thank you," she said, then waited a moment before rolling out of bed and heading for the common room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
After breakfast, Draco reluctantly mentioned Dumbledore's request and Hermione all but dragged him to the town. The head couple had forgotten the date and unanticipated the number of people frantically searching for last minute gifts and Christmas necessities. As they made it to the gate, Draco finally noticed the crowd.  
  
"Oh... my... god," he said, eyes wide with shock and fear. Hermione looked up at him, then followed his gaze to the noisy town streets before she burst out laughing. "Hermione, this is NOT funny. Look at all those people! This will take forever," he complained, but Hermione continued to laugh. Looking at her, Draco cracked a smile. "Okay, maybe it's a little funny," he gave in and she nodded. Giving her a quick kiss, Draco sighed and took her hand. "Come on love; let's get this over with," he said and she nodded, following him into the town.  
  
"You DID bring the list, right?" she asked, holding tight to Draco's hand as they squeezed through the crowd. Draco stopped and pulled her close to him so as not to lose her in the chaos as he let go of her hand.  
  
"Of course," he said and took it from his back pocket. He smiled as he read through the list. "Thank God. Everything on here is from Honeyduke's, with the exception of twenty pairs of socks, which means we go see Herm, then Evan, then we leave. We'll be out of here in half an hour," he said happily, smiling at Hermione.  
  
"Um, I don't know about that, Ace," she said with a frown and pointed over his shoulder. Draco looked confused and suspicious, then cautiously turned around.  
  
"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed as he saw amount of witches and wizards waiting to get into Honeyduke's. Not only was the store jam packed with people, but they formed a three person wide line which extended for at least a block. Hermione laughed at his gaping face.  
  
"It IS Christmas Eve, Ace," she reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, but that's ridiculous," he said, pointing. Hermione took his hand and smiled as he turned to her.  
  
"Let's go see Evan; maybe the line will be shorter when we come back," she suggested and Draco nodded. Hermione turned with a smile and began pulling Draco toward the clothing shop.  
  
As they entered, it was obvious that they would not be seeing Evan, as an old man sat snoozing behind the counter. Whether this was good or bad, Draco didn't know, but Hermione didn't seem to notice. She let go of his hand as soon as they entered the near deserted store and walked directly to the rows of sock filled shelves. She began to browse through, Draco following but not looking very interested, and picked two styles that she found suiting. Hermione then picked ten of each; one with green and blue checkers, the other with yellow and red stripes. Draco looked at her with a hiked eyebrow and Hermione smiled.  
  
"They're obviously for the house elves. This way they can each have one of each and all have the same socks; they don't like it when their footwear matches. And look; house colors," she explained and Draco kissed her quickly.  
  
"Whatever you want, Mia. Too bad Evan isn't here; I would have liked for you to meet Corsica," Draco teased with a smirk as they walked up to the counter.  
  
"Assuming they're together, I bet Evan is doing something a little more romantic than sock shopping for house elves," she told him and Draco shrugged a little guiltily.  
  
"Oh, is Mione having trouble with her love life?" Ron asked from her other side with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and sighed.  
  
"Well Ron, I don't believe my love life is any of your buis- wait," Hermione said, snapping her head toward him. "Where the hell did you come from?"  
  
"Touch-y," she heard Draco mutter and Ron snicker, but ignored them.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I apparated, Mione. I thought this store would be empty, but low and behold, here you are, standing right next to me. And yes, I can. That's what I did with my summer vacation," he explained and Hermione smirked.  
  
"I'm impressed, Ron. I thought you'd have spent it eating and sleeping," she joked and he shrugged. "But really, didn't Molly ever tell you that it's impolite to apparate into a group of people and throw yourself into conversation?"  
  
"Probably couldn't hear her over the continuous crunching and snoring," Draco boldly joked, managing to make his comment sound wittier than it really was. All three were silent for a moment, then Ron started to laugh. Hermione eagerly joined in and soon, Draco found himself chuckling a bit as well. The trio purchased their socks, then Hermione turned and smiled at Ron.  
  
"Next stop: Honeyduke's; care to tag along?" Hermione asked and Ron laughed.  
  
"Honeyduke's, are you kidding? Have you SEEN that LINE? Whatever it is, it can't be THAT important... unless... Mione, it's not your stash again, is it? That's definitely important enough," Ron said and Draco picked up an eyebrow while Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, but we don't have a choice; Headmaster's orders," she explained and Ron nodded.  
  
"Ouch; that's rough. As much as I'd LOVE to come ho, I'm afraid I have an engagement I'm already a tad bit late for. I suppose I'll see you both in a week or so?" he asked as they exited the doors. Hermione nodded.  
  
"Of course," she said and kissed his cheek. "Happy Christmas, Ron," she said and he smiled.  
  
"Same to you, Mione, Draco," he said, nodding to each. Hermione smiled and turned to walk away. "Hey," Ron said, tapping Draco's arm before he left. Draco turned to him, looking confused. "Word of warning from Harry and me; deprive her of stash, your vitals will crash," he said, then made a slitting motion across his neck with his index finger. Draco nodded.  
  
"Good to know; thanks Ron," he said and Ron nodded, winked at Hermione (who was standing a few feet away, looking suspicious) then turned and left. Draco returned to the side of his incredulous Gryffindor with a smile.  
  
"What did he say?" she asked, but Draco simply shook his head.  
  
"Nothing. I guess we're last in line, are we?" he asked, pointing. The line had, if anything, gotten longer. "Great plan, Mia," Draco said, somewhat sarcastically.  
  
"Didn't see you disagreeing," she retorted with a smirk and led Draco to the end of the line.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It took an unbelievable amount of time to make it through the line, and even longer to get from the door to the counter. Herm was looking very stressed and the two teenage helpers behind him seemed to be running themselves ragged.  
  
"Look," Hermione said with a giggle, getting Draco's attention and pointing. "It's Evan." Draco looked at the boy who was taking change from an elderly woman and began a nod, then looked to the girl who came up beside Evan with a box for the customer and smirked.  
  
"And Corsica," he informed her and Hermione automatically snapped her head toward the girl with a slight fire in her eyes. Draco casually put his arm around her, his hand on her hip, and she relaxed.  
  
"Alright; sock shopping or candy shoveling, which is more romantic?" she asked with a smile and took a tiny step closer to her boyfriend. Draco laughed and kissed her head.  
  
"I don't think I'm the best person to ask, Mia," he said and she smiled.  
  
It was late afternoon by the time the couple got their turn; they had been waiting in line for over three hours.  
  
"Finally!" Hermione said as the robust woman in front of her moved down the line.  
  
"Hermione! It's nice to have at least one customer who won't be cussin' me out for the wait, here. What can I get for you?" Herm said with a smile, but his features told of his fatigue. Hermione gave him the list.  
  
"I have a list from Dumbledore. Don't be so sure about me not complaining, Herm; we've been waiting since twelve thirty," she exclaimed good naturedly and Herm nodded as he filled her order.  
  
"I know. Sorry about that; busiest day of the year, you know. Had to recruit me nephew and his lass to help me out, here," he told them and both Draco and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Evan is your nephew?" Draco asked and Herm smiled proudly.  
  
"Ay, and Cors'ca me neice-in-law, if there is such a 'ting. Here we are. Anythin' else, Hermione?" he said, pushing a bad of goodies toward them.  
  
"Actually, could you add a box of sorted Bertie Bott's to that as well?" Hermione asked and Herm nodded, then retrieved the box.  
  
"You're no fun, Mione. What's the point if there's no surprise?" Hermione shook her head and gave Herm all the money in Dumbledore's envelope, as well as a sickle from her sachet for her jellybeans. "Happy Christmas, both of you," Herm said and waved them off, taking the order of the next customer.  
  
Once outside, Hermione and Draco hurried away from the crowd.  
  
"Uh! It's like I haven't breathed in three hours!" Hermione exclaimed, taking deep breaths. Draco smirked.  
  
"Is someone claustrophobic?" he teased and Hermione laughed.  
  
"No, but I'm tricadecaphobic," she told him and Draco chuckled.  
  
"Aren't we all?" he joked. Hermione smiled and drew out her wand. She took her purchased beans from the candy bag, then pointed her wand and the sock sack and confection carrier. With a flick, the bags disappeared. "Where did you put them?" Draco asked, putting his arm around her shoulders as she put away her wand.  
  
"My room," she said, then began to open her jelly beans.  
  
"If I find so much as one orange hair in that bag, I'm throwing your cat off the balcony," he warned and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"He'll land on his feet. What flavor should I pick?" she asked as she succeeded in breaking the seal.  
  
"Grass," Draco said with a smirk, "Or sand. I've always found sand to have an interesting texture, but grass is definitely my favorite." Hermione seemed to ignore him and tore open the box with a smile.  
  
"Chocolate," she said and the empty box filled with little brown beans. Draco shook his head at her.  
  
"Herm's right, Mia. You ARE no fun," he pouted and Hermione rolled her eyes while she popped a bean in her mouth.  
  
"Who in their right mind would enjoy an entire box of grass beans?" she asked and Draco smirked, then shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"A ferret?" he suggested and Hermione immediately began to giggle. Draco smiled at the sound. **Life mission: completed,** he thought and kissed her.  
  
"Let's go for a walk; I need to get my legs working again," she suggested and Draco smiled.  
  
"Sure," he agreed and began to lead her to the gates. The two spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the grounds and snacking on their Bertie Bott's. As five thirty rolled around, Draco suggested they go inside and have dinner before he left for detention.  
A/N Yep, that's it. Wouldn't that stink? A whole day wasted in line for stuff you don't even get to eat? Yeah... anyway, what shall this evening bring? And what about Christmas? Will Snape ruin that as well? We'll find out, I suppose....**laughs evilly** (Do you suppose she's a mwahaha, or a bwahaha?)  
  
Note: I've read a lot of fanfics in which the HP people are polytheistic (usually with Greek gods such as Zeus and Athena), and I don't know if that's like a popular thing in England or whatever, but doesn't the fact that they celebrate Christmas make them Christians? Or at least a majority of the school, like take mine: there are a few Jewish people and a few who celebrate Kwanza, but a majority of the student body is Christian or Catholic. Just a thought. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.  
  
Title: Romeo and Juliet once again... right before Romeo goes to the Apothecary to buy poison. If anyone's seen the movie version where Juliet is played by somebody or other Hussey, don't you agree that that scene should have been put in? Not killing Paris was fine, because all he was doing there was trying to be a Necrophiliac, but who walks around with deadly poison in their pocket? Seriously?  
PRF:  
  
Iris: Lol, updating everyday... yeah, right... haha. And that's one of those things that like, you know isn't happening, but you wonder if maybe... like, you're walking down the hall and you're thinking... I wonder if any of these people know that I just bit my tongue really hard... how embarrassing... haha. Yeah, I'd hate it if people could read my mind too...  
  
Lirawen: Okay, as for the name Thisbe... I don't know who this Gangora is, but she does not own that name. I do not own that name either. It was taken from the Mythological tale of Pyramus and Thisbe... you know, the one where they're from rivaling families and they can't be together but they're in love so they decide to meet one night and Thisbe's there, but she's scared away by a lion and drops her cloak and the lion tears it up, then Pyramus finds it and thinks she was killed, so he kills himself, then she comes back and kills herself. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet, really. My point? I DIDN'T STEAL THAT NAME FROM...WHOEVER THE HELL YOU ACCUSED ME OF STEALING IT FROM! Oh, and about over praising? Everyone who writes or reads (well, not EVERYone, but most people) fan fiction are girls ranging from 10-16. At this age, actual criticism can be taken too hard, and permanently scar the development of these children. By over praising them, we give them the confidence to continue writing, and by continuing to write, they will ultimately get better at what they do. Telling a little kid that their poem is good when it doesn't even make sense is not going to make them think that everything they ever do is wonderful, it just makes them feel good enough to write another poem. This is why most fan fic reviews say things like 'Good job!' and 'Keep writing!' because those are the kinds of things that build confidence. People like you, although you are trying to help, are the people that break the little writers. You're attempting to pick the rose before it blooms. Do you see what I'm saying here? I do see your point, don't get me wrong, and I hope you see mine.  
  
Carla: I don't know, I haven't and probably won't specify Draco's birthday... but it has to be before November... I'm thinking maybe October or something... yeah.  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: I think it would be cliquey if I somehow made Draco able to read Hermione's thoughts now... but thanx for the input. Good luck on becoming an ex- evil slut... haha  
  
Prantis: Hopefully, yes! More soon!  
  
Malfoy: I was sick when I wrote about her being cold, lol, that's why she was cold... and yes, at least she's warm again! Go Mia!  
  
Heather: You found me through SlytherinGirl? Wow! She's awesome... her story rocks! And the mermaids RULE!  
  
Erilyn Rose: Hehe, thanx! I try!  
  
Starry Skies: What can I say? I don't like Snape. At all. Not even a teeny bit. The only story I've portrayed him as a good guy in is the one where I killed Draco... you can see how messed up that story is from those few last words.... haha  
  
Silver Dragon Goddess: Wow, the fact that you've put me on your favorites after only reading the first chapter makes me a little confused. That chapter sucked ass. I appreciate it, though... lol.  
  
Nikki: Thanx, and yeah... I like that book.  
  
Dark Vampire: Yeah, I wanted him to lose his temper a teeny bit, and so there he goes. He felt bad about it afterward! And Snape is a JURK. 


	40. Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt 1

Disclaimer: (d[pic]s-kl[pic][pic]m[pic]r)  
  
n. A repudiation or denial of responsibility or connection. Law. A renunciation of one's right or claim.  
  
.  
  
CHAPTER FOURTY: Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt. 1  
  
"This...just...er!" Hermione forced out, dropping her fork and crossing her arms. "Our first Christmas Eve and you have to serve a detention you don't deserve," she complained to Draco, who sat next to her at the head table in the great hall.  
  
"It could be worse, love. At least I'll be back before Christmas," Draco said, trying to be optimistic. Hermione sighed and leaned back in her chair, dropping her head.  
  
"I guess..." she sadly agreed. Draco leaned close to her and Hermione turned to him. He gave her a pleasantly passionate kiss, then sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, but Hermione shook her head.  
  
"It's not your fault," she whispered back. They shared another kiss.  
  
"I have to go," he reminded her and Hermione nodded. Draco gave her one last quick kiss, then stood and left the great hall. Hermione watched him go with a crooked smile and Draco turned back before leaving the room. He waved in a childish way that caused Hermione to giggle and wave back.  
  
She left the hall about ten minutes after Draco, seeking the company of Angelina. Unfortunately, he portrait friend was no where to be found, so Hermione sighed and headed for the common room. Mr. VanRosner and Narcissa sat together on their chair, reading a book Hermione recognized from her childhood Christmases.  
  
"And out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter," Mr. VanRosner said to the little girl who was looking wide eyed at the picture book. Hermione smiled and strolled up to the couple, feeling a bit guilty for interrupting. "Oh, Miss Granger. Password?"  
  
"Popcorn," she said with a smile and the man nodded.  
  
"Happy Christmas," he said and opened the door. Hermione walked inside, then waited for the portrait to close behind her. She sat with her back against it and listened to the father tell his daughter the classic muggle fairytale.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Professor Dumbledore?" Draco said from the doorway of the headmaster's office.  
  
"Come in, Mr. Malfoy," the old man called and Draco entered the room, two large bags in his hand.  
  
"I have everything you've asked for, Sir," he said and Dumbledore looked up with a smile. Draco stepped forward and placed the bags on the professor's desk.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," the man said with a smile. Draco took a step back again and nodded.  
  
"Of course, Sir." Dumbledore looked back to the papers on his desk and began to write again. Draco stood silent for a minute, a bit confused. "Sir?" he asked and once again Dumbledore looked up. "My detention?" The headmaster smiled.  
  
"I believe Hogsmeade was enough punishment in itself today. You are dismissed," he said and Draco smiled gladly.  
  
"Thank you, Sir. Happy Christmas," Draco said quickly and backed up toward the doors.  
  
"Happy Christmas, Mr. Malfoy," the headmaster agreed before looking back down. Draco calmly slipped through the doors, then paused when outside.  
  
"Yes!" he exclaimed, punching the air in excitement. He took off running down the hall, but slowed near the end of the corridor. "Oh, damn!" Draco exclaimed as he remembered the date, then took off toward the owlry.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
After mailing all his Christmas gifts and receiving some securitization from Hadrian about his last minute timing, Draco ran as fast as he could to the common room.  
  
"Angelina!" he called as he ran down their hall, breathing a bit heavily. "Where's Hermione?" Angelina looked surprised and concerned.  
  
"I don't know, Draco. Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly. Draco looked up and smiled, shaking his head.  
  
"No, something's right," he said and Angelina smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry, dear, but I've just returned myself. If I had to guess, I'd say she be in your common room," she said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Yes, you're probably right. I have to go, thank you. Happy Christmas," Draco said, then started off down the hall.  
  
"The same to you, dear!" Angelina called back. Draco walked quickly down the hall, but slowed as he heard someone speaking. **The man from our portrait, ** he thought as he placed the voice.  
  
"...and to all a good night," the man said just as Draco came into view.  
  
"Read it again, Daddy!" Narcissa pleaded, not noticing Draco. The man laughed.  
  
"I've read it three times!" he said and the little girl stuck out her bottom lip. Draco smiled; that always worked when he used it. "Alright, once more," her father gave in and Draco laughed at the irony. "Hello there, Mr. Malfoy," he said in a way which suggested that he hadn't noticed the boy.  
  
"That always works," he told the man with a smile and he nodded.  
  
"Tell me about it. Password?" he said with a warm chuckle.  
  
"Popcorn," Draco said and the little girl giggled. Her father smiled and opened the portrait.  
  
"Eep!" came a voice from inside and Draco looked to the floor where Hermione lay, upside-down and on her back. He smiled amusedly as she waved guiltily at him.  
  
"Mia, do I even want to know what you're doing?" Draco asked as he walked past her and turned around, holding out his hands to help her up. Hermione laughed and took his offered palms in hers, standing.  
  
"I was listening to the story... but you just HAD to come and open the door," she joked, tracking her hands up to his shoulders. Draco smiled and she moved in closer with a seductive smile.  
  
"I apologize. You can hear it again if you want; apparently Narcissa has perfected the alleged 'puppy dog face,'" he said and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Oh really?" she asked and moved her lips closer to his.  
  
"Mm," Draco said and kissed her.  
  
"I don't think I need to hear it again," she said with a smirk and Draco matched it before their lips touched again.  
  
"Hey, that's fine with me," he agreed and she laughed. Hermione moved in to kiss him again, but stopped midway.  
  
"Wait, aren't you supposed to be in detention?" she asked with a skeptical eyebrow. Draco rolled his eyes, but smiled.  
  
"Yes, Mia. I ditched Dumbledore. I said 'screw you, it's Christmas and I'm going home,' and left," he said and Hermione laughed at his sarcasm.  
  
"I can see that happening," she said and broke away from him, walking into the common room.  
  
"Actually," Draco started, following her. "He let me go early again; thought three hours in line at Honeyduke's was worse than portrait scrubbing," he told her and Hermione laughed.  
  
"I can't say I disagree," she said and plopped down on one of their sofas. Draco came close and sat beside her.  
  
"Tell me about it," he agreed and Hermione smiled. Draco turned toward the fire just as Crookshanks decided to pay a visit. The plump feline jumped onto Draco's lap as if he had done so a million times and Draco absently began to scratch the cat's neck. Hermione looked on with interest, smiling at the scene, but undoubtedly surprised.  
  
"Ace, are you petting my cat?" she asked, sounding light and surprised. Draco turned to her, looking confused, then turned down to view his lap. Sure enough, her cat was curled up on his legs, purring lazily.  
  
"Gah!" Draco yelped and tore his hands away, throwing himself back. Crookshanks opened his eyes and looked up at Draco, ignorant as to why the caress had ceased. Draco was looking more than a little scared and Crookshanks sneered, or as much as a cat can, and stood, switching to Hermione's lap. Hermione laughed at that and began to pet her cat, taking Draco's place.  
  
"What was that?" she asked, laughing, as Draco relaxed. He shook his head, eyes on Crookshanks.  
  
"I don't know, Mia. There's just something about that thing I don't trust," he said, swallowing dryly.  
  
"You were fine until I said something," Hermione pointed out and Draco once again shook his head.  
  
"It's been a long day; I wasn't thinking... I thought it was Atrolynn," he explained and Hermione raised an eyebrow. "MY cat," Draco said. "Hey, if you can have a snake, I can have a cat, alright?" he said in defense and Hermione held up one hand in surrender, the other continuing to pet her companion.  
  
"Didn't say anything!" she said, pleading innocence.  
  
"You were thinking about it." He smiled.  
  
"Tell us more about this Atrolynn. Crookshanks seems interested," Hermione said, looking down. Indeed, Crookshanks was staring intently at Draco, as if he wished for him to continue. Draco looked hesitant, but began to speak anyway.  
  
"SHE is entirely black, with the exception of a red tip on her tail, and is about half the size of you lug. I've kept her a secret from my father since my mother gave her to me last year, for becoming prefect. And as for you," he said, pointing at Crookshanks. "If you touch her, I will kill you," he threatened, but the cat lazily blinked, his face saying 'you've got to be kidding.' "What? Too good for her now, are you? How dare you be so arrogant? At least she doesn't eat raw rodents." Hermione laughed.  
  
"And you said I was weird for talking to Crookshanks; you're fighting with him about dating another cat he's never even met before. And how do you know Atrolynn doesn't kill mice? I bet she does," Hermione said smiling and laughing, but Draco shook his head.  
  
"She can't. No claws," he said, making a clawing motion with his hand. Hermione's mouth dropped slightly.  
  
"You had her de-clawed? That's so barbaric!" she exclaimed and Draco nodded.  
  
"Yes, but it was the least of three evils. When she went into heat the first time, Lynn was horrid. She tore apart all the furniture and hissed at anyone who came near her. I kept her in my room and magically repaired every thing she ruined, so we were alright until she got out and ended up giving Fristy one hell of a scratch. Mum said that if I wanted to keep her, I had to either have her de-clawed or spade, so I picked the one which wouldn't completely break her." Hermione nodded.  
  
"Good choice," she agreed. "While we're at it, anything else I should know?" Draco looked at her for a moment, then moved close.  
  
"Actually, yeah. You've got some pretty on your chin, just there," he said, pointing to a random spot on his chin. Hermione brought a hand to hers, attempting to rub it away, but then realized what he had said and smiled. Draco followed suit and kissed her.  
  
The kiss gradually became deeper and Draco gently pushed Hermione back on the couch, forgetting the orange feline who was being squished between them. Crookshanks jumped to safety with a loud wail and the two broke apart to look at him. Hermione giggled and Draco turned back to her with a seductive smile. She stuck out her tongue and he pricked up both eyebrows. Giggling again, Hermione tilted her head up just enough to introduce another kiss.  
  
"Let's turn in, shall we?" Hermione suggested, breaking away prematurely. Draco smiled and gave her one more kiss before getting up. Hermione smiled and stood from the couch, walking past Draco and toward the bathroom. He smiled after her, then sighed and turned back ahead. Crookshanks was sitting in the center of the rug, looking evilly at Draco, acting arrogant and superior. Draco sneered at the cat, which blinked slowly, as if bored.  
  
"She likes me better than you," he scowled and Crookshanks blinked again, then casually stood and moved toward him. "Ah!" he gasped and fled to his room, closing the door behind him.  
  
When Hermione emerged from the lavatory, she thought it a bit odd that Draco was not there and that his door was closed, but she shrugged it off as best she could. Approaching the door cautiously, she slowly opened it, peering inside. Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Draco was lying in bed, one hand behind his head, the other on his stomach and his eyes closed. She didn't think he was sleeping; it was only about nine o'clock, but it was obvious that he hadn't heard her.  
  
Hermione slipped quietly into the room, leaving the door open a crack so as not to make noise. She tiptoed over to the bed, stopping at the bottom and looking up at him. It was obvious now that he wasn't sleeping; as she watched, Draco took a deep breath and stirred a little, tapping his fingers. Hermione silently giggled and decided just to wait until he noticed her, taking in the sights while she could.  
  
Draco was wearing a plain black t-shirt and, surprisingly, dark green boxer shorts. Hermione smiled at this and continued to gaze over him, keeping her breathing shallow and silent.  
  
"Catch an eyeful yet, Mia?" Draco asked suddenly, opening an eye and smirking. Hermione laughed and innocently shrugged a shoulder.  
  
"Maybe in a minute," she responded, meeting his smirk. Draco shrugged a shoulder and closed his eyes again. Shaking her head with a smile, Hermione jumped at the bed, crawling up its length. Draco smiled at the less than gentle rocking the head girl was purposely creating. He opened his eyes again and waited for her lips, which came in mere seconds.  
  
"Is that really necessary, love? I'm getting sea-sick," he teased and Hermione rocked the bed even more. Draco laughed and grabbed a hold of her harms, causing the rocking to cease. "Okay, okay," he said and kissed her again. Hermione calmed herself and settled down a bit, leaning into the connection.  
  
"Everything alright?" she asked softly, sounding concerned. Draco looked confused, but nodded.  
  
"Yes, why?" he asked and Hermione looked toward the doorway.  
  
"The door was closed," she explained, then turned back to him. Draco smiled, placing a hand on her back.  
  
"I was hiding from your cat; I think it's angry with me," he told her and Hermione smiled, then shook her head.  
  
"I don't know about you, Ace," she said, sliding to the side so that she was next to her boyfriend and not on top of him.  
  
"Haven't we had this conversation? I came out of it with the knowledge that you are a sadistic drunk whose parents enjoy taking pictures of naked children," he said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Hey! I'm not a drunk!" she insisted and he smiled.  
  
"Notice she denies nothing else," he said, as if talking to himself. Hermione laughed again and Draco smiled, but didn't say anything. She sighed happily and remained quiet for a moment.  
  
"You're wearing shorts, Ace," she said absently, tracing a finger across his thigh, running her pad along the edge of his boxers. Draco smiled but didn't comment. "Hm," Hermione said, then took her attention from her finger and brought it back to Draco's face. She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Goodnight," she said and slid down in bed, settling herself close to her boyfriend, head against his chest.  
  
Draco sighed, a little disappointed that she wanted to go to sleep already. Thinking better of arguing, Draco kissed Hermione's head and let her rest. Instead of sleeping, Draco remained awake for a long time, just thinking. He wanted to surprise Hermione tomorrow; do something she wouldn't expect... which shouldn't be difficult because she wasn't expecting anything. Draco closed his eyes and tried to remember how he had ever thought of Seattle. That had been brilliant. **Why can't I think of something like that? Well, maybe not THAT extravagant, but something she'll like, like that, ** he thought, and continued thinking until he slipped into sleep, never noticing the door creep open a few inches.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Mia....Mia!" a scared voice called, waking Hermione from a dreamless sleep. She felt something poking her leg as she regained consciousness and she shifted. "Hermione!" Draco called again and this time she recognized his voice.  
  
"Wha...?" she mumbled, trying hard to open her eyes.  
  
"Mia! Help me!" he said, sounding almost desperate. Hermione opened her eyes and took a slightly deeper breath. Turning to Draco, she couldn't help but start laughing. "It's not funny! Help me before there's any more damage done!" Draco was lying on his back, a large ginger cat on his chest, looking to be in a temperament.  
  
"Come on, Ace... he just wants to say Merry Christmas, don't you baby?" Hermione said and pulled the intruder into her lap.  
  
"Yeah, well... he did leave some festive coloring behind," Draco said, sitting up and pull his shirt over his head, revealing an array of tiny red scratches. He looked down and gingerly touched one of the deeper cuts, wincing ever so slightly. Hermione was appalled. She turned back to her cat with an angry squint.  
  
"Crookshanks! I am surprised at you! And to think I stood up for you... go, now, and just for that, I'm leaving mother's care package for you unopened. Go!" she huffed, angry at the cat for daring lay a paw on her Draco. Knowing he would get in more troubled if he stayed, Crookshanks quickly jumped from the bed and left their room. Hermione looked after him with a scowl, then turned to Draco with a sympathetic frown. "I'm sorry, Draco... I really didn't think he'd hurt you," she apologized, but Draco just shrugged.  
  
"I'm alright," he said and slipped his shirt back on, then made a short laugh. "Atrolynn never left skid-marks," he said with a smile and Hermione matched it.  
  
"Wonder why?" she said accusingly and Draco frowned.  
  
"I told you, I didn't have a choice. Well, I DID have a choice, but..." he reminded her, but Hermione interrupted him.  
  
"I know, Ace." She moved herself suddenly closer and attached her lips to his. Hermione laughed as she broke away. "I can't believe you woke me up because there was a cat sitting on you," she said and Draco smiled sheepishly. With another chuckle, Hermione began kissing him again, hard and demanding, deep and passionate.  
  
"Hermione," Draco said in the midst, sounding almost as if he were trying to stop her, but continued to kiss back.  
  
"Mm?" she responded, not wanting to stop for small talk.  
  
"It's. Christmas," Draco managed between her kisses, but then she stopped and looked at him.  
  
"So?" She asked, suspicious. Draco laughed.  
  
"So?!" he said as if he couldn't believe her. "So, let's go open presents! Come on!" he said and kissed her while he crawled backward, Hermione leaning forward on her hands to keep their lips together. She laughed when they finally broke apart and Draco smiled, taking her hand and letting her get safely out of bed before bolting for the common room, dragging her behind him.  
  
Draco finally let go and stepped toward Douglas, who was humming 'Silent Night'. It seemed the only thing the tree couldn't do was talk. Hermione laughed as she saw Draco's face light up.  
  
"You're like a little kid," she told him as he said down amongst the various gifts. Draco looked up at her with a bright smile.  
  
"So are you, you just refuse to show it." Hermione smiled and pondered this for a moment, but Draco was growing impatient. "Come ON Mia!" he begged and she laughed again, then settled herself on the floor beside him. They decided to exchange gifts first, and after a bit of searching through the pile that lay under their humming tree, each held a package from the other. "You first," Draco insisted, looking even more excited, if possible.  
  
Hermione looked down at the delicately wrapped green box in her lap, then smiled as she began to open it. She pulled away the paper to reveal a familiar white box; the words 'Honeyduke's Chocolates," written on the lid. Hermione smiled sweetly, but couldn't help but to feel a bit disappointed; she had been expecting something a little more personal. She opened the box, expecting to see an assortment of no doubt delicious chocolates, but was surprised to find nothing edible in the package at all. Hermione looked to Draco with a wide grin. Inside was the gorgeous cinnamon-red dress she had tried on over a week ago in Hogsmeade.  
  
Draco smiled as he saw her reaction and Hermione kissed his lips quickly before looking back down at her dress. Her brows were drawn together as she noticed something peculiar. There, nestled in the soft red fabric, was a tiny broom, no bigger than a stick of gum. She picked it up carefully and smiled confusedly at Draco.  
  
"What's this?" she asked and Draco looked excited, wand already in hand. He held out his other to his girlfriend.  
  
"May I?" he asked and she placed the broom in his hand. Pointing his want at it, Draco said a 'finite incantrum,' and the miniature began to grow. Soon it was the size of a normal flying broom, and Draco turned his eyes back to watch Hermione's reaction. She looked in awe. "I shrunk it so you wouldn't get suspicious," he explained and Hermione's mouth dropped. She looked over the new device, starting from the honey yellow bristles, down the cherry wood handle, and to the tip, which was engraved in yellow gold, the words 'Tempest III'. "American brand, made more for speed than height, although I've seen them go damn high," Draco continued and Hermione blinked, the excitement finally kicking in and causing her to let out a tiny squeal. She kissed Draco again, pulling away with a toothy grin.  
  
"Draco, this is amazing! Thank you," she practically sung, taking the broom in her hands. He smiled, blushing ever so slightly. Hermione looked adoringly at him and remembered that there were other matters to attend to. She gently placed the broom beside her and pointed to the package in his lap. "Before you open that, you have to promise not to laugh," she warned and Draco looked a tad confused, but decided to comply.  
  
"Um... okay," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Good. Go on, then," she urged and Draco tore off the wrappings and opened the box to find a leather-bound book and another tiny box. Thinking that a book is just a book, Draco picked up and opened the smaller box, which held a silver spade medallion. He looked up at her and smirked.  
  
"Ace of spades? The death card? Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked and she giggled.  
  
"No, spades are my favorite," she insisted and Draco kissed her.  
  
"Thanks, love," he said, but Hermione shook her head.  
  
"You're not done yet, Ace," she said, pointing to the book. Draco smiled and lifted it from the box, not noticing that Hermione seemed nervous.  
  
Inside the black leather book were dozens of detailed drawings done entirely in ink. Each page held a different image, and none were moving, but each was beautiful and realistic. Most of the pictures were of Draco, Hermione or both together, but a few were of different things, such as Crookshanks, the teachers, and their portrait friends. The scenes of them together were done so accurately that only someone present could have drawn them. Draco, who had been looking wide eyed and slack jawed at the pictures, looked up to Hermione with an amazed expression.  
  
"Did you do these, love?" he asked. Hermione grinned and nodded proudly.  
  
"My signature is in each one," she said and pointed to the page the book was opened to. "See, it's here in this one," she said, and sure enough, in a picture of Draco on his broomstick in his Quidditch robes and Harry in his a bit farther away, was a tiny HG, nearly hidden in some hatching.  
  
"They're wonderful, Mia," he said, inspecting the page closely. "What IS your middle name; out of curiosity."  
  
"What? Oh, I don't have one. My mother wanted it to be Anne, but then my initials would spell HAG and she couldn't think of anything better so she just dropped it," Hermione said watching as Draco seriously analyzed each drawing. He smirked.  
  
"If it was Anne and you married me, it would be HAM," he pointed out and Hermione laughed.  
  
"With Ron it would be HAW," she said and Draco chuckled along.  
  
"Krum? HAK!" They both were amused greatly by that and Hermione sighed.  
  
"Wow, I'm going to have to thank Mum for that next time I see her," Hermione said and Draco nodded, looking at the book again.  
  
"Hey Mia, who are these people. That's you, but who are they?" he asked, pointing to a picture of six children, three boys and three girls.  
  
"Oh; my friends," she said, moving closer. "That's Thiz," she said, pointing to the girl beside her wearing a light colored skirt and tank top as well as flip flops. She had long dark hair, done up in pigtails. "Here's Gwen." A dark haired girl with dark, baggy clothes and a nose ring. "Sean." Spiked dark hair and street clothes, looking much like the boy beside him, who Hermione introduced as "Derek; they're brothers... and Tino." Light, semi-long hair and dark eyes, also wearing casual clothing. "I think we were maybe ten, eleven here? Long time ago. Hey, we can look at this later; there's some annual fudge from Mrs. Weasley calling my name," Hermione said with a smile and Draco nodded, carefully closing the book and placing it beside him. Hermione crawled under Douglas, on a mission for her immortal enemy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco and Hermione, along with the rest of the country, spent the morning opening their gifts. For Draco, this was an interesting experience. Usually, his mother would send him home-made cookies from the house elves and some money, Mrs. Whize would send knitted socks, and no one else cared enough to give him anything. The accumulation of gifts at his side this year was amazing.  
  
Following Hermione's example, Draco opened the gift from Mrs. Weasley first. It was surprising how much this woman trusted Hermione's judgment, considering she must have gotten a heads up from each of her children about him. Draco too received some fudge, and a hand knitted green sweater with a "D" across the front in silver. Hermione's was also green, but a lighter spruce, and held a black H.  
  
From Harry and Ron, Draco unwrapped a box of sixty two golden snitches; ironically the exact same thing he had sent them.  
  
Mrs. Whize sent him socks and a picture of Lucifer, who looked handsome in a tiny black tuxedo and white corsage.  
  
"Hey, guess what," Hermione said and Draco looked to her from his picture. She smiled. "Fristy and I are best friends," she said and Draco raised an eyebrow. Giggling, Hermione held up a half heart necklace with the word 'Best' engraved on it. Draco smiled.  
  
"See? I knew she liked you. Everyone likes you," he said and gave her a quick kiss. Hermione placed the necklace back in its box and set it beside her in the pile of opened gifts. Draco watched her and smiled. "Some variety you've got there, Mia," he said, noting the large stack of books beside her.  
  
"Oh, but I do," she said, picking up the first one. "The Big Book of Beauty Charms from Ginny," she said and set it down.  
  
"Like you need them," Draco said, making Hermione smile as held up the next book.  
  
"The Wonders of Modern Dentistry, Volume Seven, from my parents. I already have one through six; only books I own that I've never read," Draco laughed. "Well, this is interesting; The History of Beauxbatons from Harry... bet he thought that was funny. Quidditch for the Sideline Seeker from Ron and, finally something worth reading, A Shakespearian Trilogy from Thiz, includes Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and A Midsummer Night's Dream."  
  
"I stand corrected," Draco laughed and Hermione shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"I'm easy to buy for," she said, opening another gift. She smiled as she discovered its contents. "Look Ace; now we CAN play strip poker," she said, holding up a deck of playing cards. The backs were black with 'Hermione' written in fancy gold lettering. "All we need is two more players. Hm... can we find a pair of professors?" Draco looked scared.  
  
"Uh... let's start with regular poker and work our way up," he nervously joked and Hermione nodded while she laughed.  
  
"I think I'm done," she said, starting to wad up some wrapping paper. Draco nodded.  
  
"Me too," he said, looking at his pile of gifts, most of which were thoroughly unexpected.  
  
"Wait, what am I doing?" Hermione said, dropping the armful of wrapping paper on the ground. She took her wand from her robe pocket and gave it a flick, smiling as the mountain of wrapping paper was incinerated. "Looks like you've got one more, my dear."  
  
"Hm?" said Draco, looking up from the picture book he had reopened. Hermione smiled and pointed at a red and white striped box which was still wrapped and nestled below their tree. "Oh," he said and closed the book again, placing it gently on the floor beside him. Draco moved closer and picked up the remaining package, smiling as he read its tag. "My mum," he said, pretty sure it wasn't a few galleons this year. With Lucius gone, he expected something outrageous from her, now that she was able to send it and not be beaten to an inch from death.  
  
Inside the box was an untitled brown book, looking old and battered. Hermione looked on with curiosity as Draco opened the lid and a small, folded, piece of parchment slid out.  
  
"Draco,  
  
This book belonged to my father, who passed it on to me, as now I pass it on to you. Forgive me; this is the first Christmas I can afford to get you something worth while and I did not take advantage of it, but I will make it up to you. I promise. Happy Christmas.  
  
Love, Mum"  
  
Draco smiled at the note and tucked it deep into the book on a random page. This act caused him to notice something peculiar about the book; not only was it untitled, but it was also hand written. Curious, Draco flipped to the beginning and turned to the very first page. It read; The Wonders of Wand-less Magic by Richard VanRosner.  
  
"My grandfather wrote this," Draco said to Hermione, who was looking at the book from the side.  
  
"I thought there was no such thing as wand-less magic?" she said, reading the title.  
  
"So did I, but I guess we were wrong. I can't believe Mum never told me... it certainly would have come in handy when I had that detention with Snape," Draco said, flipping to the next page, which was a short autobiography for the author and Hermione looked a little closer.  
  
"Did you say that your grandfather wrote this? Richard VanRosner is your mother's father?" she asked, looking back at Draco.  
  
"Yep," he agreed and suddenly everything fell into place for Hermione.  
  
"Oh, it makes sense now," she said to herself, but Draco heard.  
  
"What does?" he asked, looking curiously at her. Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"If I tell you, you can't tell anyone... and I mean no one," she demanded and Draco nodded. Her threat only sparked his curiosity. Hermione took a breath. "I'm only telling you this because in your shoes, I would want to know. You know the man in our portrait?" she asked, pointing toward the door.  
  
"Yeah..." Draco said, suspicious.  
  
"I think he might be your grandfather." Draco's eyes widened. "Angelina referred to him as Mr. VanRosner, his daughter's name is Narcissa, and he told me not to tell you his name. I'm only assuming, but it all fits."  
  
"Wow," was all Draco could say.  
  
"But you can't tell him I told you; I promised that I wouldn't."  
  
"I won't, love. You know, I never actually met him in real life. He died when mother was still fairly small... that painting must have been done within a year of his death," Draco said, a little surprised, but none worse for the wear.  
  
"I'm sorry," Hermione said, but Draco shook his head.  
  
"No, I'm alright... and I won't tell, but thanks for telling me. It's nice to know, really," he told her and Hermione smiled and nodded slightly. "Can we look at your book now?" he asked, changing the subject and picking up the indicated book.  
  
"Sure, if you want to," she said, standing up. Draco stood as well and accompanied Hermione as she sat down on the Slytherin sofa.  
  
A/N: Christmas time means laughter, toboggans in the snow, it's Christmas, it's Christmas, and wherever I go... It's Christmas....! Haha. It's pretty bad; two months after Christmas and I FINALLY get the Christmas chapter written and posted, lol... that's terrible. Anyway... what will the rest of this joyous holiday bring their way? Will Draco figure out a surprise for Hermione, or will they settle for hot chocolate and treacle fudge? And once again, will Snape do something scary (Like join in on this strip poker game they've been planning)? Haha...  
  
Title: For once, no R+J, aren't you proud?! Yeah! Here's a quote though, for all the fans: Mercutio: Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.  
  
Romeo: Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes with nimble soles; I have a soul of lead so stakes me to the ground I cannot move.  
  
Mercutio: You are a lover. Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above the common bound. (Act 1, Scene 4)  
  
Love this play so damn much.... learn something new each time I read it!  
  
PRF (Personalized Reviewer Feedback for whoever asked, I can't remember):  
  
Hasapi: Yeah, Ron just has a habit of showing up in places doesn't he?  
  
BuffySummers168: I'm tricadecaphobic....aren't you? Haha. And yeah, now you know... pretty boring  
  
Carla: My cousin's name is Jack and his birthday is Halloween... they didn't mean it to be like that, but they REALLY wanted to name the baby Jack... and he just happened to decide on then to show up, haha  
  
Lirawen: Yeah, but most people are too lazy to do that... I try to point out little mistakes I see, like for instance a lot of people write messed up dialogue that would sound stupid if actually said, and if I read that I tell them... but no one really analyses the stories as meticulously as you do... and I never said I was trying to be a writer, really. I just write. That doesn't make me a writer, it makes me an author. I have no intention of EVER becoming a writer. This I just do for fun  
  
Joebob1379: Wow... you really liked it didn't you? Haha, and no... that's not whats going to happen, but yeah... and the potion, I thought, was pretty good...hehe  
  
Tom Felton's Babe: They already WENT to the burrow... they have to go somewhere else, but I'm not telling where!  
  
Aindel: CANDY CANDY CANDY.... I would have eaten all the candy... or like, used a spell and duplicated it... actually, they probably have wards against that... but whatever... haha  
  
Lily Rainwater: Haha, I said MOST, now ALL.... but that's okay, I luv yaz newayz! And thanx for the big worded compliments! 10 yr olds don't call me poised!  
  
Sammi: yeah, theres some fun stuff like that comin up! I swearses  
  
Purplerks: As anyone would, I recommend all Shakespearian plays, particularly a winter's tale, Romeo and Juliet, or Two Gentlemen of Verona... but a real book? Try Artemis Fowl... it's an easy read and really short, but it's awesome! Somewhat like Harry Potter, but not really... it's cool!  
  
Erilyn Rose: It will ALL be explained in a couple chapters, promise  
  
MoshiMoshiQueen: Thanx, fav lists make me happy! I will try to update at least one chappy this weekend! And maybe even a Guilly, if you're a fan! We'll see!  
  
Little Witch: Thanx! Chocolate RULES!  
  
Heather: Hm... I don't know, I thought they were spending too much time together... yeah, and Draco would probably kill snape, and I think he knows that, but that's Snape for ya.... Haha, and the mind reader sex thing was a good idea, lol... but yeah, I don't think Draco's like that... I mean, what if he's bad? (which there is no way in hell he would be) Draco seems pretty insecure about his sex life... look how much work it took to sleep with her the first time... and I don't know, I think that would freak me out... but hey, at least he'd know what I wanted, right? 


	41. Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt 2

CHAPTER FOURTY ONE: Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt. 2  
  
Last time on FOE:  
  
"Can we look at your book now?" eh asked, changing the subject and picking up the said book.  
  
"Sure, if you want to," she said, standing up. Draco stood as well and accompanied Hermione as she sat down on the Slytherin sofa.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco opened the book to the very first page and smiled at a picture of Hermione standing in a corridor with an armful of books.  
  
"A lot of these were originally pictures taken by Colin, which I redrew," Hermione said as Draco turned the page. She remained silent as he looked at a picture of himself, smirking in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express while Harry and Ron sat in the background, looking angry.  
  
"Wow, Mia. This must have been first year; Harry's wearing muggle clothes. Do you have a photographic memory or something like that?" Draco asked in awe and Hermione giggled.  
  
"No, I drew that in first year, right after that happened. They're in somewhat chronological order; all the ones I've done recently are in the back." Draco was amazed at how good the picture was; especially if it was done by an eleven year old. He closed the book and reopened it backward, looking at the last one first and moving back to the beginning.  
  
"This never happened," he said as he came to a picture of himself and Hermione, sitting together in a tree-swing, Hermione looking toward the sky and Draco looking toward her. Hermione smiled.  
  
"That's one of my favorites; it was a dream," she told him and Draco kissed her temple. They continued looking through the pictures; Hermione explained some of them and Draco made random comments until they had seen each and every one. She gave him a kiss and left the couch, opening her box of playing cards and giving them a long shuffle. Draco flipped through the book as Hermione did this, but turned to her as she sat on the floor and began to deal them in a straight line. He watched silently as she laid down each card. **Face up, down, down, down, down, down, down, up, down, down, down, down, down, up...**  
  
"What are you doing, Mia?" he asked curiously and Hermione smiled at him.  
  
"Solitaire," she explained, and, although still completely obliviant to what she was doing, Draco pretended to understand.  
  
"Oh!" he said, trying much too hard to cover up his ignorance. Hermione smirked.  
  
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"  
  
"Nope," Draco replied and turned back to his book, pretending not to be interested. Hermione shrugged and looked down at her cards, finishing the deal and beginning to play. Draco waited a moment, then slowly turned his eyes to the cards, watching as Hermione's delicate hands rubbed away their newness.  
  
Hermione's game lasted only about fifteen minutes before she finished. She sighed and began to collect the cards into one pile. Draco looked up to her face at this action, then back down to the cards, confused as to what she was doing.  
  
"What, that's it? Why did you stop?" he asked, not realizing how stupid he sounded.  
  
"I won," Hermione said, looking up with a smile.  
  
"You won already? Wow; I've never heard of a game you can win that quickly," Draco said, looking surprised. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Haven't you ever played heads-or-tails?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"All you need to win that is the ability to say one word. A hippogriff could win heads or tails, but I doubt it could win Slimy-pear or whatever you said that was called." Hermione laughed again.  
  
"Solitaire, like solitary, as in one- it's a game for one person," she explained and Draco nodded, turning back to his book. Hermione sighed deeply and began to shuffle her cards again.  
  
"Okay, what is it?" Draco asked and Hermione turned her head up to face him.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Come one, out with it, That was your 'something is wrong, but I'm not going to say anything because I don't want to bother anyone' sigh. So, tell me what's wrong," he demanded, but calm and gently. Hermione smiled at his ability to pick up on something like that and shrugged.  
  
"It's no big deal; I was just thinking that this game is incredibly boring ant that, if I were smart, I would find something better to do," she said, nodded, and moved to replace the cards in their box. Draco closed his book and placed it lovingly on the table beside him. He stood from the couch, then fell to his hands and knees, crawling over to Hermione, stopping when her face was mere inches from his own. He opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione stopped him with a kiss. When she pulled away, Draco lifted his lids, but remained silent and unmoving for a minute, looking into her eyes.  
  
"You're getting that cabin fever thing again, aren't you?" he asked, his voice nearly emotionless, as if he already knew it was true. Hermione dropped her head a bit and closed his eyes, nodding slowly and guiltily. Turning her head up to meet his eyes, Hermione pursed her lips together.  
  
"But it's alright... I can live with it, I don't want Christmas ruined on my account; not this one in particular," she said, sliding her hands up his arms. Draco smirked thoughtfully.  
  
"No, no, no.... maybe it will make it better. All we need is somewhere away from our common room to go; where to? I picked last time," Draco suggested and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Maybe you should pick again, I'm not good at being spontaneous."  
  
"Just try," he insisted.  
  
"Hm... we could go visit Dobby; he'd be ecstatic," she suggested and Draco gave her a crooked smile.  
  
"He must already be; Christmas feast tonight. Visiting may be filed under inconsiderate," he reminded her and she nodded.  
  
"You're right. Hogsmeade is deserted, so that would just be silly. I know; we can sneak up on the teachers, throw a cactus in their general direction, and run away before they see us!" she sarcastically suggested with a wide smile and Draco chuckled and kissed her. He remained silent for a long time, then his lips curled into a smile.  
  
"Let's go to your place," he suggested and Hermione blinked in surprise.  
  
"Seriously?" she asked and Draco shrugged.  
  
"Why not?" Hermione broke into a grin.  
  
"My parents aren't home," she told him and he shrugged again.  
  
"That's okay; we won't have to deal with the whole meeting the parents thing yet; we can just hang out with your friends in a town where it's a little more unlikely that someone will suddenly appear beside you and make fun of your love life," Draco said and Hermione giggled, kissed him, then gave him a big hug. She pulled away with a wide smile.  
  
"I might want to shower, then," she said and Draco smiled, so she kissed him again before standing and heading directly to the lavatory. **Not what I originally had in mind, ** Draco thought, **But I can't think of a more surprising surprise. **  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Well, who's acting like a little kid now?" Draco said with a laugh as he walked toward Hogsmeade with Hermione, who was twirling around him, singing, giggling, and looking very much like a small girl heading to the toy store. Hermione laughed and took his hand, calming down and trying to act more mature. Draco smiled and kissed her cheek. "I never said you had to stop," he reminded her and Hermione shrugged, turning to him with a smile.  
  
"I can't help it, I have my superior image to maintain, after all," she joked and Draco smiled.  
  
"For who? I'm the only one here," he said, gesturing to the area around them and looking out at nothing.  
  
"Hey, you never know who's watching. Plus, would it be smart to just hand you dirt on me? That, I've learned NOT to do," Hermione said, then giggled as Draco shot her a mock angry look.  
  
"Oh, I don't know, Mia. You've given me some good material so far," Draco smirked and she laughed again.  
  
"Oh, yeah..." she sighed happily and tucked her unclasped hand under the opposite arm.  
  
"Are you cold, Mia?" Draco asked, letting her hand go and pulled her waist toward him. She smiled and hugged him close.  
  
"No, but this is nice anyway," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"You're something else, you know that?"  
  
"So I've been told, but this is the first time it's been a compliment," she said, turning her head up. Draco took it as an opportunity for another kiss and seized it. He smirked as he broke away.  
  
"Who says it was a compliment?" Hermione laughed and pushed him away, elegantly sprinting the few feet to the gates. Draco laughed and followed, walking leisurely and sliding his hands into his pockets. Hermione looked annoyed as she waited at the gate and finally gave up and entered without her slow paced comrade, closing the fence behind her and holding her weight against it to keep it shut. Draco approached with a smirk and stopped directly in front of the entryway, looking at Hermione through the iron bars.  
  
"Can I help you with something?" she asked, continuing to hold herself against he divider. Draco smiled.  
  
"You could let me in," he suggested, trying to look cute and sweet-talk his girlfriend.  
  
"Oh? And what reason might I have to do such a thing?" Hermione asked innocently, hiding her smirk with a smile. Before she could even register what he was planning, Draco kissed her quite thoroughly through the bars. "Good reason," Hermione said when she was done, spinning around and walking away from him. Draco wore a smug smirk as he pushed through the gates.  
  
Hermione stood a few feet away, her back to Draco, pretending to ignore him, and crept up behind her. Hermione was expecting him to say something clever and was planning to interrupt with another kiss, but Draco had different plans.  
  
He came quietly up behind her and gently pushed her hair to one side, creating an open area for his lips to recover. Hermione smiled as Draco continued, trailing tiny wet kisses up her neck and back down again. His hands moved to her hips and then continued around front, pulling her to him.  
  
"A really good reason..." Hermione added blissfully with a smile and Draco laughed, stepping around to face her, lips catching hers before she could reopen her eyes. She moaned quietly as she fell into the kiss, bringing her hands to the back of his neck.  
  
"Ready?" he mumbled into her mouth and Hermione was about to agree, but said nothing and finished their display.  
  
"Here?" she asked, pulling back and opening her eyes. "Don't we have to go somewhere secluded or something?" Draco smiled.  
  
"Look around you, Mia," he suggested and kissed her nose. "There's no one here, love. We ARE secluded." (A/N: Haha, I wasn't thinking this as I wrote it, but doesn't it kind of sound like they're talking about sex? Lol. Did anyone else catch that? It's not what I meant, I swear, lol.)  
  
"If you say so," she agreed. Draco smirked and suddenly the world around them began to blur. Hermione watched in awe as everything turned a milky white, then darkened to grey before swirling into whole new scenery. "Wow," she said, looking around at the familiar platform. The Hogwarts Express sat silently beside them, resting a few more days before the long journey to the castle.  
  
"I thought you might like that," Draco said and began kissing her again. Hermione giggled and kissed back.  
  
"Question," she mumbled.  
  
"Hm?" Draco replied and moved his kisses momentarily to her neck to let her speak.  
  
"Why are we here?" He laughed and brought his head back up to face her.  
  
"Because I have no idea where you live; I was hoping maybe you could help me out here." Hermione giggled.  
  
"Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that," she kissed him once more, then took his hand. "Let's go, Ace. This is going to be fun, I know it."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"And why are we riding this thing?" Draco asked as they took a seat on the number seven city bus. Hermione giggled.  
  
"It's called a bus, Ace," she told him and Draco smiled, glaring at her. She giggled again and took his hand as she crossed her legs.  
  
"I know what it IS, but why am I ON it?" Draco said, somehow able to keep up their conversation, although it was obvious his attention was directed elsewhere. Hermione's skirt had ridden up a few inches, but she did not seem compelled to fix it. Draco just stared at her tantalizing legs while they spoke; if Hermione noticed, she made no move to redirect his eyes.  
  
"Because it's half the price of a taxi, roomier, and not that much more inconvenient; this one stops a few blocks from my house, so it works out rather nicely. We'll be there in twenty minutes," she explained and Draco nodded. Hermione smiled as she realized that he hadn't heard a word she'd said. A smirk played on her lips as the Head Girl walked her fingers down the top of her thigh and stopped them at her knee, slowly sliding them back up, bringing the hem of her skirt along for the ride.  
  
Draco's eyes widened a bit as his view became better and better; soon he could even manage a peek at her unsurprisingly black panties. He licked his lips, not wanting to take his eyes away, when the bus suddenly lurched forward. Both were thrown ahead, then back again.  
  
The blonde Slytherin looked disappointedly at Hermione's lap; her skirt had been pulled down again. He turned to Hermione with a fake pout and she laughed, causing Draco to blush a little and smile. As the bus began to move again, Hermione leaned over and caught Draco in a sweet kiss, underrated and safe for the prying eyes of the bus-dwellers.  
  
"You're adorable," she whispered cheerily to him and Draco smiled, then went back to the kisses.  
  
As the bus slowed at their stop, Draco and Hermione made no hesitation to depart from it. Some of their fellow passengers were rather intimidating, at least to Hermione. Draco seemed not to notice anyone but her; particularly her legs.  
  
Hermione breathed a sigh of happy relief as she stepped off the capsule with Draco behind her. He didn't seem unhappy either; wrapping his arms around her from behind and connecting his lips with the skin of her neck.  
  
"You like that, don't you?" she asked in a volume just above a whisper. Draco smiled, but said nothing; he simply continued his work. Hermione let out her breath in a laugh and smiled. "Me too." As if only to torment her, Draco stopped his actions. He stepped aside, sliding his hand to the small of her back. Hermione looked up at him with a smile and Draco gave her a soft kiss.  
  
"Lead the way, love; this time *I* have no idea where we are," Draco said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Come on, then," she said, taking his hand from her back and entwining it with her own, then started down the street. They walked in silence for a few minutes; Draco kept his eyes on Hermione, who was looking, if possible, even more excited. Suddenly, she started giggling.  
  
"What?" he asked, smiling.  
  
"You know what? I don't have a key," she said, laughing at the irony.  
  
"You don't?" Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Why would I; I'm not coming home until June," she pointed out and Draco nodded.  
  
"So, what do we do?"  
  
"I don't want a ministry warning, so we'll have to go borrow Thisbe's," she said with a shoulder shrug.  
  
"We can do that?" Draco awestruck that she would trust another person with everything she owned.  
  
"Of course. She lives there," Hermione said, pointing a way down the street to a quaint white house. She paused for a moment for him to see, then continued. "And, I live there," she finished, pointing to a three story brick house across the street. Draco looked to the house and was a bit surprised. After visiting Ron, he couldn't help but expect something less extravagant. Hermione's home was no where near as large as his, but that was to be expected. It looked very new, the porch well made and recently painted, the drive black and smooth, newly cleared of snow.  
  
"Wow," Draco said, looking over the clean red brick as best he could from such a distance. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Oh YEAH, it's just WONDERFUL," she said with a giggle. "Come on, let's go see if Thiz is willing," Hermione said and began pulling Draco down the street. She didn't say another word until they were stepping up to Thisbe's door. "Ready?" she asked with a slight smirk, holding her finger an inch from the doorbell. Draco shrugged slightly, trying to look like he didn't feel awkward. Hermione laughed and leaned swiftly in for a kiss.  
  
"Mione!" a high feminine voice shrieked and the door flew open, causing a startled Hermione and Draco to jump apart. In the doorway stood a laughing Thisbe Cavello wearing light blue pajamas and a smirk through her giggles.  
  
"Thiz!" Hermione said, half in warning and half in excitement as she stepped forward and embraced her friend. Draco stood to the side, looking a little surprised. Hermione's friend was a little taller than her and had straight, waist-length, black hair. She hadn't even bothered to throw a robe on over her slim fitting pajamas and was still barefoot. The girls broke from their embrace with smiles.  
  
"Mione, why didn't you tell me you were coming?! I would have... um... well, I would have gotten dressed, for one thing," Thisbe laughed and Hermione joined her.  
  
"I'm sorry... it was a... surprise, yeah," she explained, then hastily changed the subject. "Ready for introductions? Thisbe, this is the infamous Draco Malfoy. Draco, Thisbe Cavello," Hermione said and watched as Thisbe grew a horrendous smirk. Draco smiled a little guiltily, embarrassed at Hermione's words, and held out a hand. Thisbe took it in greeting, then moved both hands to her hips, wearing an expression of deep thought as she gave Draco a quick head-to-toe with her eyes.  
  
"I believe he'll do," Thisbe said and both girls laughed. Draco pricked up an eyebrow and Thisbe nodded, crossing her arms. "Quiet, cute, and confused. Perfect." Again, the girls giggled and this time Draco blushed.  
  
"Hey Thiz, I don't suppose I might have my keys back? Just for today?" Hermione asked and Thisbe took her eyes away from Draco and brought them back to her friend.  
  
"Oh, yeah... sure," she said and stepped to the side where a key rack was tack to the wall. She plucked one set from a hook and handed them to Hermione.  
  
"Thanks. We're going to go, but it'd be great if you come by when you get a chance," Hermione suggested and Thisbe smiled.  
  
"I'll be there, Mione. See you guys later, then," she agreed, giving Hermione another quick hug, then retreated into her home. Hermione turned and smiled at Draco, who was still looking a bit uncomfortable. She laughed and he smiled.  
  
"That was, erm... interesting," he commented and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Quite." Draco smirked.  
  
"She thinks I'm cute," he reminded her smugly and she laughed again.  
  
"Come on before she starts drooling," Hermione said, taking his hand. Draco shook his head and followed her across the deserted street to the still- surprising brick building.  
  
Hermione led Draco to the front door, then let him go and fumbled with the keys. She smiled triumphantly as the doorknob turned in her grasp and pushed the door open, looking back at Draco as she stepped inside, motioning for him to follow. Hands jammed in his pockets, he complied.  
  
The room just inside the door was small and cozy, having only a coat closet, small settee, and some potted plants. There was a doorway to the left which held a staircase, one on the right with led to what seemed to be a sitting room, and two on the opposite wall. One had a closed door, but the word 'restroom' was carved into the cherry wood. **Odd, ** Draco thought, but dismissed it. To the right of the bathroom, but on the same wall, was an open doorway leading to a kitchen.  
  
Hermione, while Draco had been taking note of his surroundings, had slipped off her shoes and was in the process of removing her coat when he came back from his world of discovery and stepped up to help. Draco aided her in the removal of her jacket and Hermione smiled as she took it back and tossed it on the sofa. She took a step toward Draco and stood on her toes for a peck on the lips; she was much shorter than him without the assist of her shoes.  
  
"Want some breakfast?" she asked and Draco grinned. With a sweet smile, Hermione broke away gracefully and passed through the entry room, heading toward the kitchen. Draco removed his coat and shoes, then followed her, marveling at the large red kitchen with a black tiled floor, full to the brim with muggle innovations.  
  
A giggle was heard as Hermione walked past him to the ice box, tickled by his awestruck expression.  
  
"You act like you've never seen a refrigerator before," she said, amused, and Draco looked instantly embarrassed.  
  
"I haven't," Hermione turned to him, looking a bit confused.  
  
"Your mother has one, in the parlor," she reminded him and Draco nodded.  
  
"Yes, I noticed that too, but she's purchased that and all those other muggle things sometime after I left, because they weren't there beforehand," he told her and the girl who was leaning on the open refrigerator door nodded.  
  
"Well, there's not much to it; it's purpose? To give perishables a longer shelf-life. Close door, light goes off, cold stays in. Open door, easy access." Hermione pulled from the chilly chamber two cans of soda and a jar of grape jam. "Welcome to Grillin' with Granger. Today's lesson: muggle teen breakfast. Are you up for it, you saucy scum?" Draco laughed.  
  
"Do I have a choice?" he asked, eyes following the girl as she expertly dashed about the kitchen.  
  
"Hm," she mumbled, putting a finger to her chin. "No, not really," she shook her head and laughed. "Hey, want to hear a story? I should probably tell you anyway."  
  
"Um, sure..." Draco said as he watched Hermione lay out four pieces of bread and begin to twist open the jam jar.  
  
"This house used to be a funeral parlor. The kitchen and the living room were joined and they would have the wakes in here. The owners lived on the second floor, and they had a coffin showroom on the third. Then, the basement was used as like a temporary morgue... plus they did embalming and prepping down there. The equipment is still there, but I'm not sure if it works. I don't go down there unless I have to; rather creepy.  
  
"We just finished renovating last summer; the insides have been done for two years, but we just added on the porch." **That explains the bathroom door, then, ** Draco concluded. Hermione, as she spoke, spread jam on two of the four slices of bread, then began to open another jar.  
  
"You're not very good at bedtime stories, are you, Mia?" She laughed again, then continued her meal preparations.  
  
"Actually, I'm not, but I thought I should tell you. Oh, come on, it's not like there's dead people germs or anything," she stated, sounding as if prejudices against the deceased annoyed her.  
  
"Okay... so what's upstairs now?"  
  
"Second story has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and my closet. Third story is home to an air hockey and pool table, along with various other means of muggle entertainment," she said, not looking up from her near completed task. After spreading a thick layer of a light brown past, which Draco hadn't the faintest idea was, Hermione folded the bred into two sandwiches, each with one jam slice and one paste slice. She cut each down the middle and picked up one half of a sandwich, stepping toward Draco. "Draco Malfoy, meet peanut butter and jelly. Go on, taste it." The sandwich was held out to him and Draco took it, looking rather confused.  
  
"Wait... what is it?"  
  
"I told you; peanut butter and jelly. You'll like it; I promise." Hermione took the other half sandwich in her hand and, bringing it to her lips, took a dainty bite. Draco, however hesitant, did the same, inviting the new substance to meet his taste buds. He was surprised at the taste, but a nod told Hermione that Draco had decided almost instantly to like it.  
  
Only a moment after he swallowed, Draco's face began to flush. He brought a hand to his neck as he attempted at swallowing again, but he found himself unable; his throat was closing up quickly. Hermione watched worriedly as his face seemed almost to swell.  
  
"Draco? Are you alright?" she asked, setting down her sandwich and stepping toward him.  
  
"I don't know," he managed to say, but it sounded strained and raspy.  
  
"Oh my god; open your mouth," Hermione said frantically and Draco did as she asked. He heard her let out a relieved sigh as she looked inside.  
  
"What?" Draco tried to say, but all that came out was a raspy cough.  
  
"Oh!" the distressed blonde's girlfriend exclaimed as she dove into her pocket for her wand. Hermione aimed her magic savior at Draco and gave it a flick, causing all of Draco's symptoms to almost instantly disappear. Breathing deeply, Draco looked up at her.  
  
"What the hell did you give me?" he asked, surprised that she would do something like that, but not quite angry yet.  
  
"I'm sorry; how was I supposed to know you were allergic to peanuts?"  
  
"I'm what?" Draco asked, still sounding a bit hoarse. Hermione took one of the cans from the table and popped it open, then handed it to her boyfriend. He took it and smirked at her. "Should I trust you?" Hermione smirked back.  
  
"I've never heard of anyone being allergic to Dr. Pepper; you should be fine," she said smartly, but Draco was already gulping the drink.  
  
"Thanks," he said as he took the can down again. "So, what just happened?"  
  
"You're allergic to peanuts. Your body overreacts when they are ingested or you get them into your bloodstream. I'm really sorry; I didn't even think... I should have checked first," Hermione said guiltily, fidgeting her fingers. Draco smiled and leaned to the side to catch Hermione's downcast eyes with his own.  
  
"And how, exactly, would you do that?" Hermione smiled and took his arm in her hand, then touched her wand to his pale and perfect skin, leaving a thin trail of blood behind. Draco watched silently as she did this with a guilty frown. Hermione then held his wrist in one hand and ran the index finger of the opposite over the rim of the peanut butter jar.  
  
She wiped the small glob over the fresh cut and looked up at her boyfriend, who was watching her amusedly. He looked to her from his arm, still smiling, and leaned in to kiss her. Hermione smiled as their lips met, then leaned her head against his chest as she waited. Draco, who had no idea what was going on, remained silent and moved his untested arm around her.  
  
Hermione waited for two or three minutes, then she moved away from the light embrace, plucking a napkin from the holster on the table and wiping the offense from Draco's arm.  
  
"See?" she said sadly, eyes on the swollen red lump which had formed under his abrasion. "I almost killed you," Hermione thought out loud as she flicked her wand and the bump, blood, and cut disappeared.  
  
"Hey," Draco said with a smile, placing his hands on her arms and all but forcing her to look him in the eye. "I'm fine, it was an accident. I didn't know, how could you possibly have?" he assured her and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Yes, but I should have known to-"  
  
"Mia, it's not your fault, okay? And you saved me too, I think that about evens things out. Thanks." Hermione nodded and Draco pulled her into an embrace. "Just be glad your friend wasn't here, or we would have been screwed."  
  
"She probably would have called an ambulance or something; wouldn't that have been fun?" she said and Draco smiled. Hermione pulled away with a happy sigh. "Okay, scratch PB+J. Plan B, pancakes," she said, moving from his embrace to the cupboard. (A/N: Is it just me or do these people like pancakes? Haha, I'm addicted, ask anyone I know) "Your allergy can be fixed permanently, but not by me. I know the spell, but I've never tried it and I don't want to mess up, so we'll wait and ask Pomfrey to do it later."  
  
"If you say so, Mia," her boyfriend said and leaned against the counter behind him. He watched as Hermione scurried about the kitchen; mixing this, measuring that, and felt a little helpless. "Hey, do you want me to do something?" he asked and his hostess smiled.  
  
"Nope, but thanks," she said and went back to stirring.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
A/N: Haha; Voldie can't kill him but an itty bitty little peanut can.... mwa hahaha! I'm so evil! Yes! Am too! Okay, fine, I'm a freak... whatever! More Christmas to come in following chapters... and the golden couple gets four house guests! Guess who they are??? You'll never, never guess! And I'M NOT TELLING! Until they come, that is.  
  
Once again, no R+J, and there wont be for the rest of the Yuletide Tomfoolery series of chapters... but after that, it's a possibility! Here's a quote to hold you over:  
  
Romeo: I dreamt a dream tonight.  
  
Mercutio: And so did I.  
  
Romeo: Well, what was yours?  
  
Mercutio: That dreamers often lie.  
  
Romeo: In bed asleep, while they do dream things true.  
  
Mercutio: O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.  
  
PRF: As Guilly readers will tell you; I've become very lazy with my PRFs...  
  
Thanx to: Arime Setta, Water demon, Erilyn Rose, Aindel, Purplerks, Carla, Joebob1379, XxSleeyGirlxX, Little Witch, MoshiMoshiQueen, Tom*Feltons*Babe, Malfoy, and Starry Skies for reviewing the last chapter! Wow, that sure took a lot less time that the real replying does, lol... I'll do a better job next time.  
  
1) Question for Purplerks: What do you mean by 'what's up with the number 62?'... now I'M confused! 


	42. Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt3

CHAPTER FOURTY TWO: Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt. 3  
  
.  
  
In less than fifteen minutes, both the muggleborn and the pureblood sat smiling at the kitchen table, each with a hefty helping of chocolate chip pancakes. The peanut butter sandwiches had long since been discarded and forgotten and Draco's attention was now on his glass of orange juice.  
  
"What is this? It's good," he asked as he daintily sipped his glass.  
  
"Orange juice," Hermione said simply, her eyes on the newspaper open beside her.  
  
"Cor; you can juice an orange? What else can you juice?" Hermione laughed.  
  
"Just about anything; fruit mostly, but some people do carrots and stuff like that. You sure are easily impressed, Ace. Not even Arthur Weasley was amazed by juice." Draco turned slightly pink and shrugged.  
  
"I always thought it was just pumpkins and cranberries," he said with a slightly embarrassed smile. Hermione looked up at him just as the doorbell rang.  
  
"Thisbe," she said and pushed her chair back. Draco did the same and quickly made his way though the entry room, getting to the door before Hermione could even leave the kitchen. He waited a moment for her to catch up, then opened the redwood slab.  
  
"Hey, I- oh," Thisbe said as she realized who was standing in front of her, then immediately blushed and looked toward the ground. Draco's lips curled into his handsome trademark smirk. **Even attached I have an effect on women, ** he thought, then stepped aside and looked toward Hermione, who shrugged and stepped in to assist in the awkward moment.  
  
"Hey!" she said and scurried over to meet her friend. Thisbe seemed to snap out of her trance and broke out in a bright smile.  
  
"Hey!" she returned and pretended to kiss each of Hermione's cheeks in greeting.  
  
"Hey, do you want some breakfast? I made pancakes," Hermione asked and Thisbe looked excited.  
  
"That would be great, Mione! My mum still thinks that fruitcake should be the only thing consumed before noon on Christmas," she said and both girls laughed as Thisbe slipped off her shoes. She seemed to be ignoring Draco entirely as she continued to chatter about her morning and walked toward the kitchen. Hermione looked up at Draco.  
  
"Fruitcake?" he asked, ignoring Thisbe's obvious attraction entirely. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yes, she is," she said and gave him a quick peck on the lips before taking his hand and following Thisbe into the kitchen.  
  
The trio chattered over their pancakes and, because Thisbe continuously asked him questions, Draco quickly warmed up and began to feel less awkward.  
  
"Thiz, are any of the guys here?" Hermione asked as she took care of their dishes.  
  
"No, actually. Gwen went to another one of those concert things, Sean and Derek went to their grandmother's; last I knew they were planning on scaring Artremis to death with those damn greased saucers, and Tino is on holiday with Tish and Lindy; Paris, I think." Draco looked a bit lost, but kept to himself. Hermione turned to him.  
  
"Artremis is Sean and Derek's uncle, but he's six; adopted and adorable. Lindy is Tish's sister," she said, then turned back to Thisbe. "I thought greasing the saucers was a great idea; fastest sled ride I've ever taken. And why did Tish take him to Paris? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Hermione said, laughing and Thisbe joined in.  
  
"I thought so, but she had the money and no one in their right mind would want to stay alone with Lindy. God I hate rich people," Thisbe said and Draco looked quickly to Hermione, who laughed and shook her head at him. There was a brief pause before Hermione cut in again.  
  
"Let's go upstairs," she suggested and moved toward the doorway. Thisbe stood and smirked.  
  
"Gee, Mione... feeling extra kinky this morning, are we?" she teased and Draco snorted. Hermione's mouth dropped open for a moment, then she smiled.  
  
"God Draco, I never thought only twenty minutes with you could produce such quality results," she said and he laughed.  
  
"I've brought my time down from half an hour," he commented, then smirked. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Mia. If Thisbe's willing, I sure as hell am." Now Thisbe snickered and Hermione's mouth dropped again, then she slapped him upside the head. "Hey!" he exclaimed, then shook a scolding finger at her. "Now, now, Mia. Didn't we have a talk about that already?"  
  
"Well you REALLY deserved it that time. I can't believe you guys! You're already conspiring against me and it's not even noon yet!"  
  
"Sorry, Mione," Thisbe broke in, "...but you're just way too fun to offend."  
  
"I agree," Draco voiced with a smirk. Hermione just glared at them for a minute, then started laughing.  
  
"Alright, come on then," she said and turned to walk through the door, toward the stairwell. Draco turned to Thisbe with a smirk and she blushed, which caused him to drop it and follow his girlfriend. He did not particularly like the fact that her best friend had taken to him this way, and was determined to ignore it.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"H-Hey Mione; how long are you guys staying?" Thisbe asked nervously as she threw a dart toward the wall mounted board. Hermione, who was teaching Draco to play pool, looked to her boyfriend, who wasn't much help and just stood looking clueless.  
  
"Um, we're leaving tonight. Why?"  
  
"Good. There's something I think I should tell you." Hermione turned to her and Thisbe took a deep breath. "Zane is back."  
  
Hermione stopped everything she had been doing; she didn't even breathe. Closing her eyes as if in pain, the hostess leaned on the table for support. Draco, confused and speechless, looked on worriedly.  
  
"And Reif?" she asked, unmoving.  
  
"He's supposed to be here by summer. I'm sorry, Mione, I couldn't do anything," Thisbe apologized and Draco moved around the table to Hermione, sensing that something was very wrong.  
  
"Mia?" he said as he came up beside her and Hermione turned to embrace him without a word. Draco held her close and looked to Thisbe for some sort of explanation, but the dark haired girl simply shook her head. Hermione remained silent and tearless, simply holding Draco close to her. No matter what the problem, being in his arms made everything seem better. Suddenly, a car door slammed. Then another. All three teens looked at each other. Thisbe stood from the large armchair she had been seated in and walked to the window.  
  
"It's your parents," she said and Hermione groaned.  
  
"Oh no; the dishes. You guys stay up here, I'll attempt some sort of explanation," Hermione said and gave Draco a peck before hurrying downstairs. As soon as the door shut behind her, Thisbe advanced on Draco. He had been watching Hermione leave and jumped when he turned to see Thisbe just inches away.  
  
"I have some questions for you, my friend," she said demandingly, poking a finger at his chest. Draco was a bit surprised; not only was she intimidating, but she wasn't afraid of him. He would have smiled, had she not seemed so angry. "Firstly, where in God's name is your damn school? Mione won't tell me and it's bugging me to hell," she said, looking not to be messed with, her face less than three inches from his.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, there," he said, holding her arms to keep her in place as he took a step back from her. "If Mia won't tell you, then I don't think it would be a good decision on my part to say. There's obviously a reason, although I don't know what it is (A/N: LIAR!), and I do not want her mad at me."  
  
"Fair enough," she agreed, crossing her arms as Draco released his grip on them. "Tell me who Henry and Rob are, then."  
  
"You mean Harry and Ron? That I can do. Ron Weasley: red head with a bad temper, easily ticked off, hates me with a passion; pastimes include eating, sleeping, and talking with his mouth full. Has had the hotts for Mia for god knows how long, insanely jealous and overprotective, but loyal and trustworthy as long as the secret can be passed through Harry.  
  
"Harry Potter: black-hair, thick glasses, and a not-so-happy home life. Enjoys getting into trouble and having Mia help him out of it, is more accepting to me, although I don't think he likes me much, also jealous and overprotective, adored by every woman to cross his path, referees the fights between Mia and Ron. Now it's my turn. Who the hell are Zane and Reif and what did they do to her?" he demanded, pointing toward the door. Thisbe, who had been listening and nodding, sighed and looked away.  
  
"That is not my story to tell. She'll tell you, though, I know she will, just give her a minute. They're not good guys, I'll tell you that much," Thisbe said, sounding sorry. Draco nodded.  
  
"I figured," he said as the door swung open to reveal Hermione, looking a bit ragged, but all together better than she had before leaving.  
  
"We're lucky; they're unloading groceries in the garage. That gives us a few minutes to think of what to do. Ace, I hate to say it, but I think magic is the only way out of this. I can't let them see that you were here when they weren't or they'll kick your ass."  
  
"Alright, so what do you propose we do?" he agreed, but a confused Thisbe cut in.  
  
"Wait, what the hell are you talking about?" she asked and Draco turned to her fearfully.  
  
"Damn. Mia, what do we do about her?"  
  
"I guess we have to tell her, there's no other way... or at least not that I can fathom at the moment," Hermione said and he nodded.  
  
"Will you people stop talking about me like I'm not here and tell me what the fuck is going on?" Thisbe demanded.  
  
"Tisk, tisk, such language. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Draco teased.  
  
"No, I don't swing that way," Thisbe said and smirked arrogantly for a moment, then went back to looking frazzled and confused. "Mione!"  
  
"I'm a witch, Thisbe," she said simply and Thisbe laughed.  
  
"Yes, Mione, that seems to be popular belief... especially when you've had three screwdrivers and are trying to do your homework... but come on, tell me what you're not supposed to tell me."  
  
"No, Thisbe, listen to me. I. Am. A. Witch. You know, black cats and pointy hats, flying on a broom, potion brewing, wand waving, and all that other fun stuff we do." Thisbe's smile dropped and she turned to Draco.  
  
"You...?" He raised his hand.  
  
"Wizard," he said and smiled at her reaction.  
  
"I don't believe you; there's no way..." she said, crossing her arms, and Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"So we'll prove it if we must. Shoes, Mia. Dead giveaway," he said, still looking at Thisbe.  
  
"Damn, you're right," she said and searched around for her wand. "Ace, please tell me you have your wand. I left mine in the kitchen; it was on the table after... the peanut butter incident and I didn't want to arouse suspicion by picking it up before we came upstairs."  
  
"Sure, love," he said and pulled his wand from his large jean pocket, watching Thisbe's eyes grow wide. She really had thought that they were joking. Draco lifted the enchanted stick and gave it a flick, causing Hermione's wand to fly into his palm. "Here you are, my dear," he said, handing it to her. She smiled and took it. "Coats and shoes," he reminded her.  
  
"Right," she agreed and gave her own wand a flick. Instantaneously, all of their discarded clothing piled into the room.  
  
"That was the coolest thing I have ever seen. Why did you never tell me?" Thisbe asked, eyes on the coats, and Draco spoke up before Hermione could answer.  
  
"I just met you," he said, smirking, and Thisbe glared at him quickly and turned to her friend.  
  
"I'm not allowed. Dumbledore is going to be less than happy when he hears about this," she said and the dark haired girl looked hurt, but understanding.  
  
"Who's Dumbledore?"  
  
"Headmaster of our school, he..."  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt, ladies, but I would rather spend now keeping your father tattoo-less than chatting about Hogwarts, interesting as it is," Draco said, sounding impatient.  
  
"Sorry Ace, you're right. Alright, we can't just leave, because Thiz wouldn't just come over here if no one were home, apparating her to Hogwarts is absurd," Hermione began, listing off possible plans.  
  
"Why can't I just take her home, then come back and get you?" Draco asked but Hermione shook her head.  
  
"There are too many people in her house... think the Weasleys times two. It would be a miracle if no one saw. We can't risk more people knowing about us," she said and Draco nodded.  
  
"So if we can't take her anywhere, your parents are going to find her one way or another, then they'll know that you were here..." Draco said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Then they'll ask how I got here and know I had to have apparated. They know the only way other than that or a broom is the train, and I don't think they'll believe me if I say that's how I got here. A broom would take hours... they'll know someone else came with me," she said, running a hand through her hair.  
  
"Can't you say a teacher dropped you off or something?" asked her boyfriend, trying to be helpful, but she shook her head.  
  
"That could work, but then they'd expect someone to come and pick me up. We are totally screwed; this is a disaster. The only way is to just tell them." Hermione sighed. For the first time since the plans began to be fabricated, Thisbe spoke.  
  
"At least I'm here, Mione. I can vouch for you that nothing happened, and you can back it up with a 'Sean, Derek, and Tino are over here all the time'."  
  
"Thanks Thiz, I'm going to need all the help I can get."  
  
"Bob, did you leave the peanut butter open again?!" called the annoyed voice of Eliza Granger from downstairs. Hermione looked at Draco and they both laughed slightly.  
  
"What is this whole peanut butter thing, anyway?" Thisbe asked and Draco turned to her.  
  
"I'm allergic," he said and Thisbe just stared.  
  
"And how is that funny?"  
  
"Because I didn't know and she gave me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." He pointed accusingly at Hermione, who looked guilty.  
  
"Mione!" Thisbe exclaimed and Hermione threw up her hands in defense.  
  
"I didn't know either!" she swore, "And I saved him from the big bad condiment monster, so don't yell at me!"  
  
"Hey, you know what's ironic? The first thing we said was 'good thing Thiz wasn't here or we would have been screwed' and here we are telling her the whole story," Draco pointed out and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Sorry to have been a bother, but I think we may want to go talk to your parents sometime soon," Thisbe said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Let me go first, I'll come get you guys in a few minutes," she said and, like the last time, gave Draco a tiny kiss on the lips before leaving. Draco turned to Thisbe and shook his head.  
  
"This can not turn out good."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Neither Thisbe nor Draco spoke as they waited for Hermione to return. Draco paced the length of the pool table and Thisbe resumed her darts. He was just about to mutter something about her taking so long when Hermione burst through the door.  
  
"I think Voldemort and Hitler's love child just became pope," she said, sounding disbelieving. Draco and Thisbe looked worriedly at each other.  
  
"What? Wait, who's Hitler/Voldemort?" Draco and Thisbe asked respectively.  
  
"Very bad man; we'll tell you later," they answered each other. Hermione looked a little scared.  
  
"Never do that again, please," she all but begged and Draco shuddered a bit.  
  
"Wow, bad memories," he said, shaking his head. Thisbe looked to him with a curious quirk of her brow.  
  
"I was cold, so I went to the nurse and she gave me a potion so I could read her mind," Hermione answered, planning to drop it and tell them about her parents, but Draco resumed his speaking.  
  
"Then she kept reading my mind and saying everything I did," he continued and Hermione approached him. Draco let her slide in beside him and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Was there a reason for this? Did she give you the wrong one or something?" Thisbe asked and they both shook their heads.  
  
"She was being harmed by the potions master and needed me to tell the headmaster," Hermione said and Draco spoke up, sounding curious.  
  
"Hey, Mia... do you think it was Pomfrey all along? I mean, like she might have said something about you being outside and that's why he told us off, then with me alone in Hogsmeade, Pomfrey might have said that you shouldn't be alone so soon after getting out and he went to find out for her if you were alright," Draco thought out loud and Hermione pondered his theory.  
  
"But what about all those times when we were together?" she asked.  
  
"Well, Dumbledore did send him to tell us something each time... well, except that time he thought we were shagging in the great hall; that time he just wanted to make sure that if he wasn't getting any, no one was," he joked and squeezed her to him. Hermione sighed.  
  
"You have no idea how much I hope you're right, Ace," she said and he kissed her head.  
  
"Me too, love," he agreed. Thisbe, who had been piecing together bits and pieces of information, decided not to ask.  
  
"Mione, what did your parents say?" she asked instead and Hermione looked happily shocked again.  
  
"You won't believe this, Thiz, but they sound happy! They want me to bring you downstairs," she said, the last sentence directed at her boyfriend.  
  
"Wow, maybe Hitler's love child DID become pope. Wouldn't that be the start of the Apocalypse?" Thisbe asked, sounding serious and surprised.  
  
"Start praying, because I swear that's what happened," she said.  
  
"Mione! Are you coming?" called her father up the stairs.  
  
"Yes, Daddy!" she called back, then spoke softly. "We better go before they get suspicious."  
  
"Speaking of suspicious; I'm assuming the great hall is your cafeteria, correct?" Thisbe asked and Hermione nodded, but Draco looked confused. "So?" she asked expectantly. "WERE you shagging in the great hall?" Both Draco and Hermione looked appalled.  
  
"No!" they said in unison.  
  
"We weren't even planning on it; it was a big misunderstanding," Draco added and Hermione nodded.  
  
"And only someone deranged in our situation would do it there when they have private quarters," she pointed out, but Thisbe didn't look convinced.  
  
"Are you SURE?" she teased.  
  
"Well, yeah, I think I would remember that," Draco said, still looking surprised. Hermione smirked suggestively.  
  
"I KNOW I would remember that," she said and Thisbe laughed.  
  
"We should go downstairs," she suggested and Hermione pulled away from Draco.  
  
"Right," she said, taking his hand and leading him to the door.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
As Hermione rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs, her parents met in the entry room; Mrs. Granger from the kitchen and Mr. Granger from the living room. Both muggles wore bright and welcoming smiles. Hermione walked toward them, smiling proudly as she pulled a nervous Draco behind her. Thisbe followed silently, hands clasped behind her back, a smirk on her face. She was here to enjoy the show. Despite what Hermione had said, it was obvious that she didn't think the Grangers would let them off that easily. Hermione opened her mouth to speak an introduction, but her mother beat her to it.  
  
"Hello dear! You must be Draco, then. Mione's told us so much about you," said Mrs. Granger and her husband looked a bit confused.  
  
"No she hasn't, she's barely told us any- oof," he began, but was cut off by a poke in the ribs from his wife. Draco fought back a laugh as he looked carefully at the two people in front of him.  
  
Hermione's hair had obviously been inherited from her mother, but their figures differed greatly. While Hermione was thin, curvy, and fairly voluptuous, Mrs. Granger was lanky, broad, and held hardly any womanly curves.  
  
"Bob," she hissed at her husband, then smiled at Draco again. Mr. Granger's body type was almost more feminine than his wife's. He too was thin, but with narrow shoulders and no muscle mass to speak of. **No wonder Mia's so fragile looking, ** he thought, but kept his smile.  
  
"Right. How are you, then, my boy?" Mr. Granger said, turning and patting Draco's back, leading him toward the living room.  
  
"Fine, sir," Draco stammered, trying to remain polite and professional while at the same time going crazy with nerves. He shot Hermione a pleading look, but she smiled sympathetically and followed it with an innocent waggle of her fingers. Draco's eyes grew a little wide as he saw she would be no help, and let himself be lead away.  
  
"Good, good. You like rugby?" Hermione heard her father say from the other room and giggled, realizing that Draco probably had no idea what rugby even was.  
  
"Mother!" she said, "How could you let Daddy just take him away? He'll be scarred for life when he gets out of there, assuming he lives." She giggled.  
  
"You didn't seem to be attempting to stop him either, Mione," Thisbe said, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. Hermione glared.  
  
"Thisbe! You're supposed to be helping me!" Mrs. Granger laughed.  
  
"Well, she's right, dear. Draco did seem terrified, but I think I remember someone smirking and silently waving goodbye," she said, waving herself and giggling like a school girl.  
  
"Mum!" Hermione exclaimed.  
  
"Don't worry, Mione. Your father promised to return him to you untouched. He'll be fine... now, why don't we let the boys have their game and busy ourselves in the kitchen?" she suggested and Thisbe rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yes, like good little housewives," she said sarcastically and Mrs. Granger laughed.  
  
"Unless, of course, you'd RATHER watch rugby with those two?" she suggested, knowing it would not earn Thisbe the will to jump up and sprint into the living room. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Which, assuming Draco likes it anywhere near as much as he likes Quidditch, could be life threatening," Hermione added and her mother gasped.  
  
"Hermione! I can't believe you said 'Quidditch' in front of Thisbe! Now you have to..." she said and made a swishing motion with her hand.  
  
"Mother! I am not going to obliviate her! She already knows anyway, we told her upstairs," Hermione said in surprised outrage.  
  
"You WHAT? How could you! All these years, we've been so careful!" Her mother sounded very upset and Hermione was clueless as to why.  
  
"Mum, it's just Thisbe. She won't tell anyone, will you Thiz?"  
  
"No, of course not! You can do the oblivi... thing if you want, although I have no idea what it is," she offered, not wanting to see any of the Grangers this upset.  
  
"See? It's alright, Mother; she's not the first muggle to know. In light of recent events, I happen to KNOW that, although he may be disappointed, Dumbledore will not be angry."  
  
"Who told her? It was HIM wasn't it?!" Mrs. Granger accused.  
  
"No! Do not blame this on Draco, he's totally innocent!" she said, then thought, **Well, at least in this conversation, ** complete with a mental smirk. "We were talking about school, being very vague, and got onto the subject of detention and I said something along the lines of 'Dumbledore may be the greatest wizard to walk the earth, but he has such uncreative detentions'. It was all my fault." Mrs. Granger was staring blankly at her daughter and Hermione was nervous. "Mum?" She seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in and blinked before shaking her head and readjusting her smile.  
  
"Oh, well, let's go, then. Come, girls," she said and moved toward the kitchen. Hermione peeked into the living room to see her father chattering away, using hand gestures, while sitting in his favorite chair and Draco on the sofa, staring wide eyed at the television as if it were the new broom in the Quidditch shop window. She giggled slightly, forgetting all about her mother's strange behavior.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
. A/N: And again, more Christmas coming up! I don't know how many chapters of Christmas there are, but it's quite a few. Christmas is a very important day, after all! Seattle took like, four or five chapters, so you can imagine, lol!  
  
PRF:  
  
Heather: Lol, we all just a lovin it!  
  
Starry Skies: Well, now you know three... who will the next one be? Hehe, that rhymes! Anyway, lots of surprises in store for the next chapter! Woohoo!  
  
BuffySummers168: Yes, I would imagine so... lol. I don't' think I'd ever eat it again...  
  
JoeBob1379: Haha, go get a pbj sandwich before you start drooling on the keyboard, girl! Lol. Well, now you know three... only one mystery guest left? Weasleys, huh? Think Ron's gonna mysteriously appear for the third time? We'll see... lol  
  
Malfoy: Lol. I LOVE R+J. My most recent literary purchase was, if you can believe it, 'The collective works of William Shakespeare" Lol. And three visitors were revealed in this chapter, who will the final one be?  
  
xxSleepyGirlxx: You flatter me!  
  
Erilyn Rose: Lol. Yep, I liked it too. Thanks for being such a loyal fan, man! You've read all of my fics, haven't you? And you keep updated! Wow! You rule!  
  
Gwyn: Snape's pretty much out of the picture for a while. He may return in the sequel, but I'm not quite sure yet. About the weekenders: only everyday after school! Love those guys! They always say the funniest things! Lol... I'm surprised anyone even noticed that.  
  
Carla: He wasn't shy, persay... he just didn't say anything. Lol. And he blushed... the tiniest bit... but only because he was slightly embarrassed that another girl would compliment him in such a way in front of his g/f... then he realizes it was a big joke and plays on that. Yeah, sorry.  
  
Kumiko Eharu: Yes! PB! And you will see more! Promise!  
  
MoshiMoshiQueen: We'll see about who he meets... it's gonna be someone, obviously... there's still one guest who hasn't shown up yet! 


	43. Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt 4

Disclaimer: This is what's called the 'I should be doing my homework and not updating, so I don't have time to think of a witty disclaimer' disclaimer. You get it.  
  
.  
  
CHAPTER FORTY THREE: Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt. 4  
  
"So, Hermione- tell us about Draco," Mrs. Granger suggested as she tossed a salad. Hermione and Thisbe were sitting at the table, munching on chopped bits of carrots and celery.  
  
"Yes, please do," Thisbe urged, slipping a slice of cucumber into her mouth.  
  
"Well," Hermione began. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"Well; how did you meet? What are his parents like? Common interests that you share, anything interesting that you've done," her mother listed and Hermione giggled.  
  
"We met in first year, but were sworn enemies until fifth, then merely acquaintances until he became Head Boy and I Head Girl. We share a common room and bathroom, and our rooms are connected.  
  
"As for his parents, his father was killed this summer, but he wasn't exactly a good person. Abusive to both Draco and his mother," Hermione said, looking toward the living room, where, through the doorway, she could see her boyfriend and father on the edge of their seats, watching the game. "His mother, Narcissa, is very nice. You'll meet her at graduation, Mum. I'll introduce you."  
  
"Oh, the poor dear," Mrs. Granger said sympathetically and Hermione nodded. "Have you met his mother, Mione?"  
  
"Yes. With Dumbledore's permission, he took me to Seattle for our first date."  
  
"How romantic," Thisbe added dreamily and Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"I already told you, Thiz, why are you so excited?" Hermione asked and Thisbe stared dreamily toward the ceiling.  
  
"I know, but when you say it, it seems more real... oh! Let me see your ring?"  
  
"Ring?" Hermione's mother said in horror as her daughter held out her hand to Thisbe.  
  
"Just a promise ring, mother; nothing to get frazzled about. Isn't it beautiful?" Hermione assured her, moving her hand so the ring caught the light.  
  
"Lovely," she said coldly, glaring at the ornament like Lucius would glare at a muggle.  
  
"Right, well..." Hermione said, retracting her ring like Lucius would glare at a muggle. she could see her boyfriend and father on the edge ohand and balling it into a fist, which was then placed protectively against her heart. "After leaving the city, we went to visit Harry and Ron, then he took me home to meet his mother." She sighed blissfully. "It was wonderful... and he was so gentlemanly."  
  
"More so than Zane?" This question came from Mrs. Granger, who was smiling at her salad and didn't notice her daughter flinch.  
  
"Yes Mother. Zane was anything but a gentleman, and anything but gentle," she said in almost a whisper.  
  
"You can't say that Zane isn't attractive, Mione," her mother pushed. Thisbe was looking sympathetic and sorry she couldn't be more helpful.  
  
"Zane was very attractive, yes," she answered, not really lying. **Too bad it was only for bait.** "I'm going to go make sure Father hasn't turned Draco into a perpetual couch potato," she said and quickly slipped from the kitchen and into the living room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione stood in the doorway to the living room, smiling at her boyfriend, who looked more excited than she had seen in a long time. He was seated on the edge of the couch, eyes glued on the TV as the miniature men played their game. She walked into the room and was nearly beside him before Draco even noticed her entrance.  
  
"Hey, look, have you seen this?" he said, pointing toward the rugby game. Hermione giggled and sat own next to him.  
  
"Yes, Draco. That would be called a television," she said smartly and Draco smirked at her.  
  
"Yes, Mia. I know that," he said calmly, still looking at her. Hermione glanced at her father, who was in much the same state as Draco had been, and looked as if he hadn't even blinked since she came in. Declaring it safe, Hermione entwined her fingers with Draco's and leaned in to kiss him. No sooner had their lips touched, than a voice broke them apart.  
  
"Oh, get a room already," this remark came from her father, who sounded serious, but then broke out in a smile and turned to them. Hermione smiled back.  
  
"Lend me your credit card, Daddy?" she asked and Draco turned to her in surprise. Mr. Granger laughed.  
  
"Of course, Pumpkin," he said, causing Draco to look to him with the same expression. Mr. Granger opened his arms to his daughter and she briefly squeezed Draco's hand before getting up and accepting the hug. "How've you been, Angel?" he asked when she pulled away, and knelt beside his chair.  
  
"Fine, Daddy. And you?"  
  
"I'm alright, but I'm afraid your mother has been a bit out of sorts lately," he said and craned his neck to look out the door and toward the kitchen.  
  
"Yes, I noticed she was acting a bit strange. Do you think she's aright?" Hermione asked and Mr. Granger looked worried and unsure.  
  
"I do hope so; she would tell me if something were wrong," he said, trying to convince himself. Hermione placed a hand on his knee.  
  
"Of course she would," she reassured him and her father smiled.  
  
Draco watched this exchange in something like awe. He and his father had never had a relationship even close to the one Hermione had with Mr. Granger. Although he was glad she didn't have to experience what he had, Draco couldn't helped but feel a little jealous. He smiled as Hermione stood, gave her father a peck on the cheek, and came back to sit next to him. She smiled widely.  
  
"Like rugby, then, do you?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"Oh, yeah. It's nothing like Quidditch... except the 'lot's of people get hurt' thing," he said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"My least favorite part," she said and Draco huffed.  
  
"Yet you still want me to beat Harry to a bloody pulp, do you?" he asked smartly and Mr. Granger cut in.  
  
"Turned your back on Harry, did you?" he asked playfully.  
  
"No, Daddy, you don't understand. Draco is better than Harry, yet Slytherin hasn't won a game against us in years. I merely suggested that he go ahead and deflate Harry's big head a bit. No harm done," she explained and he laughed.  
  
"Mione, you are such a traitor," her father said and Hermione groaned.  
  
"Why does everyone seem to think that?" she wondered.  
  
"Because all signs point to yes," Draco said and began naming off his fingers. "Your bathroom is green, you own a snake, you're dating the Slytherin Quidditch captain..."  
  
"Since when are you captain?" she interrupted and Draco smiled.  
  
"Since I'm the only seventh year left on the team," he explained and Hermione looked surprised.  
  
"What about that guy with the gangly teeth?" she asked and he smirked.  
  
"Flint? No, he's been gone for a year now. Anyway, back to your incrimination. You're dating the Slytherin Quidditch captain, you want me to beat Harry, and you sit on my couch. Traitor."  
  
"What's wrong with me sitting on your couch? You sit on mine," she pointed out and Draco smiled.  
  
"Yes, but I'm not the one under speculation here, am I?" he argued and Mr. Granger laughed. Both teens turned to him.  
  
"You two argue like a married couple," he joked.  
  
"This isn't arguing, Daddy. This is conversation," Hermione corrected him and he laughed.  
  
"Of course it is," he said, but mockingly.  
  
"No, it has to be. If this were a fight, I'd be talking to a door," Draco added and Mr. Granger laughed. Hermione glared at him with a smile.  
  
"Lucky for you, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Anyway, back to our - converSAtion," Hermione said, looking pointedly at her father. "You're just as much a traitor as me. Not only do you sit on my couch, but you're dating the head Gryffindor, non-pureblood at that," she said, but he interrupted.  
  
"I'm head Slytherin," he pointed out. "Deatheather spawn at that." Hermione placed a hand on his knee.  
  
"Yes dear, you're very special."  
  
"That's not what I meant and you know it," he declared, but Hermione ignored him, earning a chuckle form Mr. Granger.  
  
"You own a cat, which cancels out Monty," she continued and Draco smirked.  
  
"Ah, but Atrolynn is a black cat, which is consistent with evil, which is consistent with Slytherin," he pointed out and she looked flustered.  
  
"Well," she hesitated." You open doors for me; definitely not a Slytherin quality." Draco pondered this for a moment.  
  
"Given. Continue," he agreed and Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"And as for my bathroom... um... your hair? Yes, your hair! You, Ace, have golden hair, and, if I get you angry enough, your face will turn red. Gold and scarlet, you traitor," she said and smirked triumphantly, once again receiving coughing chortles from her father.  
  
"That doesn't count, Hermione. That's genetics," he protested, but Hermione had anticipated this.  
  
"Is it not also genetics that makes me like green?" she asked smartly.  
  
"Alright, given, but you do realize that I have canceled out all of your accusations other than the fact that I open doors and my face turns red, yet you still have your snake, you approval on a Slytherin Quidditch victory, and then there's the fact that Gryffindors are supposed to be loyal, don't you? Slytherin is supposed to be cunning and sneaky. Therefore, you're more of a traitor than me," he finished and Hermione gave a curt nod.  
  
"But you're still a traitor," she insisted and Draco nodded.  
  
"Indeed," he agreed. "I must say, though; I enjoyed this conversation much more than the last one we had on this subject," Draco continued and Hermione quirked her eyebrow.  
  
"And why is that?" she asked.  
  
"A lot of reasons. 1) Your cat didn't attack me, 2) I didn't just get back from a seven hour detention with Snape, 3) It's not one o'clock in the morning, and the number one reason would have to be; you didn't call me Arnie," he said and they both laughed. Now it was Mr. Granger who lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"Do I want to know?" he asked and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Benedict Arnold, Daddy," she explained.  
  
"Ah. And, may I ask, why did you have this detention in the first place, my boy?" Mr. Granger asked and Draco looked to Hermione for assistance.  
  
"He didn't deserve it; Snape is just very moody. Draco stood up for me, but the language got a little out of hand," she said, sounding sympathetic and Draco blushed a bit.  
  
"Yes, known to do that when angry," he admitted and Mr. Granger nodded.  
  
"Aren't we all," he agreed. "So, are you staying for dinner, Mione? I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind." Hermione looked to Draco, but once again, he was no help. Then, she remembered.  
  
"I'm afraid we can't stay that long, Daddy," she told him. "We should be leaving around four," she decided, looking at her watch, which read quarter after two. Mr. Granger looked a bit disappointed, but nodded in understanding. Hermione sighed and took Draco's hand. "Let's go back upstairs," she suggested, standing. Draco obediently nodded and stood beside her.  
  
"Take Thisbe with you, Mina, or your mum'll have a fit," Mr. Granger warned.  
  
"Yes, Daddy," she said and rolled her eyes, then led Draco from the room, stopping by the kitchen to call Thisbe before heading upstairs.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
This time, Hermione stopped at a door half way up the staircase and led her friends into a wide hallway aligned with five doors. Pointing all the way down the corridor, she explained each to her boyfriend.  
  
"My parents' room, master bathroom, guest bedroom, my room, and way there is my closet, which is where we're going," she said, naming each door along the wall. Draco raised an eyebrow as she finished, but followed her anyway.  
  
When Hermione opened the door to her closet, Draco couldn't help but be surprised. He had been expecting to see some sort of broom closet, as anyone would, but what he saw was more of a small study. Inside this room was a small desk, just big enough for the laptop computer which rested on it, various chairs and beanbags, and in the corner, a large green garner snake.  
  
"Hello Monty," Hermione said as she stepped into the room, then giggled. "Seems Mum has been feeding you after all," she said and scratched a lump in the otherwise slim body. Monty hissed affectionately. "I thought she'd have forgotten."  
  
"She did, I had to remind her." This comment came from Thisbe, who brushed past a gawking Draco and into the room, plopping down on one of the bean filled chairs.  
  
"Oh, well... thanks, then," Hermione said as she slid herself into the chair facing her computer and booted it up.  
  
"Hermione," Draco said as he came up behind her.  
  
"Hm?" she was watching the screen in front of her light up and didn't sound very interested in conversation.  
  
"Is there any particular reason why you don't want to stay for dinner?" he asked and Hermione tensed slightly. Draco took a step back and pulled a near-by chair closer. "Hey," he said softly when she didn't answer and Hermione blinked once, then smiled and gave a slight shrug.  
  
"I just thought that with all the trouble Dobby's gone through to make dinner, it would be nice of us to be there," she explained, but Draco didn't seem convinced. Hermione ignored this, however, and drew her attention back to the monitor.  
  
"Are you sure that's the only reason?" he asked quietly and Hermione began to nod, but changed it to a head shake. She placed a hand on his knee and looked up at him.  
  
"I'll tell you later," she whispered, sounding rather troubled, and Draco nodded.  
  
"Alright," he agreed and placed a small kiss near her ear. Hermione smiled weakly and began clicking away at her now functioning keyboard. "What are you doing, Mia?" he asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to change the subject. Hermione smiled genuinely now, glad for the release of tension.  
  
"E-mail," she said simply and Draco pretended to understand again.  
  
"Oh," he said, a little overenthusiastically. Hermione smirked.  
  
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"  
  
"Nope," he stated and she giggled.  
  
"Why does this sound familiar?" she asked happily as her fingers continued to click. Draco smiled.  
  
"Because we had this exact dialogue this morning, except it was about Slimy- pear," he recalled and heard a laugh from the beanbag in the corner.  
  
"You guys have the weirdest arguments I've ever heard," Thisbe said, shaking her head. Hermione scowled.  
  
"Why does everyone always think we're fighting?" We're just talking," she insisted, giving Thisbe a glare and continuing to type. Draco gave the muggle girl a 'drop it' signal and she nodded seriously, but they both broke out in smiles soon after. Much to Draco's despair, his smirk was a little too flirtatious for Thisbe and she blushed at her magazine. At this response, Draco dropped his smirk as quickly as possible and turned to face the computer.  
  
"So, how does this work exactly?" he asked. Oblivious to all going on around her, Hermione smiled.  
  
"It's quite simple, really. I type a message like this, then, say I want to send this to Thiz, I type in her email address here, which is like a code that tells it where to go, then push send and it shows up on her computer. Kind of like an owl, but faster," she explained and Draco watched her as she spoke, marveling her happiness.  
  
"And this is all done without magic?"  
  
"As far as I know, yep. Same thing with the TV; no magic."  
  
"If you think about it, it's almost sad that most wizards grow up not knowing muggle ways. A hundred years ago it made sense, but they've come so far, it's like a whole other world we're missing out on," he thought out loud, watching as Hermione's fingers flew quickly over the keys. She paused and looked to her Slytherin house guest.  
  
"I've always thought that. It's amazing that no one wizard paid attention to muggle advancement. I mean, why can't we use pens for crying out loud? Although I do prefer to live in both; magic is very convenient," Hermione agreed with a smile, which Draco promptly kissed. "And," she continued, beginning to type again, "If I didn't know magic I wouldn't know Malfoy, so I guess I'm rather lucky, aren't I?" she smirked, turning back to face the computer screen.  
  
"I believe I'm the lucky one in that situation, Mia," Draco said. Thisbe tried to keep it in, but she couldn't help herself and snickered. Both magic-folk turned to her with a rather annoyed expression.  
  
"Sorry to ruin the moment," she sarcastically apologized. "Couldn't help it." Thisbe tried to look innocent and turned, once again, back to her magazine. Hermione turned back to Draco and rolled her eyes. He smirked and she kissed him, then went back to her typing.  
  
A few minutes later, Hermione sighed and, with a click of her mouse, smiled.  
  
"Okay, I'm done. Sorry about that, but I thought it'd be nice of me to e- mail the guys while I had a chance. I can't very well owl them," Hermione said, clicked a few more times, and the screen went black. Draco just smiled at her and she took his hand again. She was silent for a moment, then took a sharp breath. "Hey, I think we have a game to finish upstairs," she recalled with a smile and Draco matched it. Then, she turned to her friend. "Coming, Thiz?"  
  
"No, Mione. I think I'll let you guys go on and stay here, waiting for your mother to come barbecue me," she said, with only mild sarcasm. Hermione waited a moment, then shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"'Kay," she said, stood, and, taking both of his hands, pulled Draco up from his chair. Hermione left the closet, pulling her Slytherin behind her, without another word. Thisbe sighed and rolled her eyes, standing and following them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Because Draco was so naturally good at pool, after finishing the game between himself and Hermione (which he won), Draco played against both girls. When four o'clock approached, it was Hermione who spoke up.  
  
"Draco, we should go," she said and both he and Thisbe looked up. Thisbe put on a pouting face.  
  
"Oh, come on, Mione! Let me kick his pretty little arse first, then you can go," she begged, glaring superiorly at Draco. He crossed his arms.  
  
"I believe I resent that. And besides, I'm up by two balls, there's no way you're going to win," Draco protested. Hermione and Thisbe gave each other one look and burst out laughing. Draco looked confused for a moment, but then realization dawned on him. "Oh, come on; I didn't mean it like that. I swear you women will be the death of me," he groaned. Still giggling, Hermione spoke up.  
  
"That can be arranged," she threatened and Thisbe's hand flew up, making her look like Hermione had the first day of potions class.  
  
"I volunteer!" she shrieked. More laughter followed before she spoke again. "Come on, Mione... let's just finish this game," Thisbe begged and Hermione's look changed from amusement to uneasiness.  
  
"I don't know," she said, but the pleading look on Thisbe's face changed her mind. "Fine," she sighed. "Just this game."  
  
"Yea!" Thisbe chimed. "I do believe it's your turn, Mr. Up-by-two-balls," she reminded him and Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Har, har, har," he mumbled, along with some incoherent words which made the girls giggle, then took his shot. "Ha! I told you you would never win!" he boasted happily as the scuffed white ball knocked two of his in the left center pocket. "I OWN this game."  
  
"Well, before you start monogramming it, note that you still need the eight ball to win, my dear," Hermione reminded him and Draco's sly smile dropped to a look of defeat.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Nasty little bugger, isn't it?" he said sourly.  
  
"Indeed," Thisbe agreed with an angelic smile. Within the next few turns, the inevitable happened; Draco won. He stood with an 'I-told-you-so' smirk and Hermione rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"You're never going to let me live this down, are you?" He laughed.  
  
"No, probably not," Draco said smartly, coming up next to her and easily encircling her with his arms.  
  
"Alright, now we really have to go. Let's say goodbye to my parents first, though," she reminded him while leaning back into his embrace.  
  
"Do you really have to go? No one knows you're here, you can stay longer, can't you?" Thisbe asked, but Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No," she said, sounding a little cold, but regretful as well. Thisbe nodded in understanding and Hermione turned her head into Draco's chest for a brief moment while she untied his arms, then started out of the room without further explanation, pausing only at the door to pick up her coat and magik on her shoes. Draco turned questioningly to Thisbe, but she shook her head.  
  
"She said she'd tell you later," she reminded him and Draco nodded, then followed Hermione's lead by magiking his shoes and picking up his coat. "Hey," Thisbe called to him before he could leave. "Do you think you could..." she held up her shoes and put on her pouty face. "I feel left out." Draco smirked.  
  
"Yeah, sure," he said and magiked her shoes as well. Thisbe squealed.  
  
"That is so wicked!" she shrieked and Draco shook his head.  
  
"You are very easily amused," he commented as he let her skip past him and through the door.  
  
"You were amused by E-mail," she pointed out and he nodded.  
  
"True," agreed Draco and he descended the stairs behind his muggle friend.  
  
"Mother, that's ridiculous!" Hermione was heard and Draco put his hand on Thisbe's shoulder to stop her from continuing. She looked back at him, surprised, but Draco put a finger to his lips, signaling to be quiet.  
  
"Is it, Hermione? What other reason could there be?" Mrs. Granger argued.  
  
"There could be a million reasons! Neither of them would do that to me! I can't believe I'm even having this argument with you!" Hermione yelled and Draco winced; he could tell she was angry.  
  
"I'm right, Mione. I have a motherly feeling. It's better this way; you belong with Zane," her mother said, sounding like she was pleading Hermione to side with her.  
  
"Mother, you have no idea what you're talking about," she said, sounding defeated.  
  
"Yes I do, Hermione. That's why I've called him. He said he would be over as soon as possible."  
  
"You WHAT!? No, you couldn't have! How could you do that without even asking me?" Hermione sounded near tears and Draco felt that it was time for him to play the knight in shining armor.  
  
"Let me go first," he whispered to and slid past Thisbe and down the stairs. She shivered slightly as he brushed against her and Draco felt it, but pretended not to.  
  
As he rounded the bottom of the stairs, Draco saw Hermione leaning back against the door, eyes closed and arms crossed. Mrs. Granger, however, was glaring at him, looking as if she loathed him more than soap scum.  
  
"Where's Thisbe?" she asked, continuing to glare. Hermione looked up with surprise; she obviously had not heard him come down.  
  
"She's putting on her shoes... is something wrong?" he asked, honestly clueless as to what was going on. Mrs. Granger huffed a laugh.  
  
"Are you sure that's the only thing she's putting on?" she mumbled coldly and Hermione's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Mother, that's enough!" she yelled and walked to Draco, who was looking surprised and lost. "I won't have you right out accusing him like that! It's unfair and illogical!"  
  
"You don't know that, Hermione," she said, then pointed to Draco. "And you. Leave us be and go back to where you came from. I will not have you corrupting my daughter when she can be happy with someone of her own kind," she said fiercely. Hermione took Draco's hand, making it impossible for him to go anywhere without taking her with him.  
  
"Stop it, Mother! I don't know what has gotten into you, but you're scaring me!" Hermione yelled, squeezing the hand of a confused and speechless Slytherin.  
  
"Let go of him, Hermione. Zane will be here any minute and you will stay with him until the train takes you back to that wretched place. Then, I want you to stay away from that boy. You belong with Zane," Mrs. Granger commanded, but Hermione just glared.  
  
"Draco, I think it's time for us to go now," she said quietly, but sounded determined.  
  
"But..." he started, sounding confused. "She's your mother."  
  
"You of all people should know that parents don't always know best. Please, just take me..." Hermione began, but was interrupted by a fierce knock at the door. She jumped and the person knocked again.  
  
"Mione?" came a male voice from the other side. Thisbe, seeing Hermione cower into Draco from the bottom of the stairs, ran quickly and locked the door. "What the? I heard that, I know you're in there! Remember what happened the last time we played these games?" the voice called again and Hermione peeped in fear.  
  
"We have to go, now. Please Draco... I can't stay here," Hermione pleaded, turning into and embracing Draco, who held her close as the world melted around them. "Please, I can't... not again... no, never again..." Hermione continued, unaware of the deserted town of Hogsmeade which had fabricated around her.  
  
"It's okay, Hermione. They're gone, we're gone... you're alright, I'm here," Draco said, trying to calm her down. It seemed to be working; Hermione's breathing slowed and her grip relaxed, but she kept her arms around him. "See? It's okay. Calm down, love," he whispered, holding her close, knowing it was what she wanted.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered with a teary sniff.  
  
"Shh..." Draco whispered and began rocking her a bit back and forth.  
  
"That wasn't supposed to happen... they weren't supposed to be there... HE definitely wasn't supposed to be there... I planned it so much differently..." Hermione said, her eyes still tightly closed and her arms around her lover. "I'm sorry, I should have told you..." Draco stayed silent now, just holding and rocking her, still attempting to figure out what had just happened.  
  
Evidently, her father seemed to like him well enough and only asked the questions any concerned parent might. Thisbe definitely like him, but possibly in a not-so-good way. Then there was her mother. At first, Mrs. Granger seemed a lot like his mother or Mrs. Weasley, but then... she became an accusing, raving, over-protective, intimidating, psycho-bitch... which he had disobeyed. **Well, what was I supposed to do, leave her there with them? Alone? When she was so obviously terrified? I didn't have a choice, this was the right thing, she's safe now,** he told himself as he listened to her rapid breathing. **But she's safe with ME.**  
  
"Your mother hates me," he told the girl in his arms and she choked on a laugh. "What did I do, anyway? Or what did she think I did?" Hermione shook her head.  
  
"You don't want to know. I don't think she hates you, Draco, she doesn't even know you... she just wants me to be with a muggle. More specifically, Zane Kuwait," she said and shuddered. "I'm really sorry, Ace. I didn't think she'd act like THAT... I've never seen her that way..."  
  
"Shh, Mia. But really, love... I took you. Your mother said to leave you alone and I kidnap you. Whatever trust she might have had in me is totally damned... but at least I got you out of there, right?" Hermione took a rather deep and quite shaky breath.  
  
"Draco, you have no idea what would have happened if we had stayed. That was Zane, at the door. Now HE would have attacked you."  
  
"Are you going to tell me exactly who this Zane guy is? Your reaction to him has me more than a little worried," Draco asked and Hermione looked up at him, lifting her head from his chest.  
  
"Yeah, okay," she sniffed and reached a hand to wipe away the tears which weren't really there. Draco turned from the embrace a bit and moved his hand to the small of her back, gently pushing her toward the gates. "Well, this started as sort-of a you and Pansy situation, but it was blown way out of proportion. My parents and his were friends and we grew up together. He was a really great guy; the best big brother substitute a girl could have, but then, the summer after fifth year, his parents got a divorce. He was devastated and I felt sorry for him. I really did love him, platonically, and I still didn't want to see him hurting like that, so I comforted him. I was so stupid. I kept up the love charade for his sake, because I didn't know what he might do if I told him the truth.  
  
"He wanted us to be together; to be as much in love as you can at fourteen, and my mother was ecstatic, so I played along. Zane is very unromantic, boring, and selfish. As his girlfriend, I was expected to dress accordingly, which is not the same as appropriately, and be a pretty piece of ass he could kiss and touch whenever he saw fit. I didn't really mind; all I had to do was shut up and look pretty, so it wasn't like I was miserable pretending to love him.  
  
"I wasn't happy, but everyone else seemed to be, so I didn't complain. Then, his father moved to Germany. Zane was angry, and he took most of it out on me." Draco's eyes shot to her face at this comment and he stared at Hermione for a moment. "It's not what you think, really. It started with yelling, and it was always over stupid things, like if I forgot to wear lip gloss, but he would just yell and scream at me until someone stopped him. I got used to it after a while, and it got to the point where I could just ignore him. Big mistake.  
  
"If I didn't fear him, he didn't get the satisfaction of scaring me, so he was unsuccessful in venting his anger. He figured if he couldn't scare me, he'd focus on hurting me." Draco squeezed her a little closer to him, as if trying to protect her from the past. "He didn't want to REALLY hurt me; it was more like Chinese water torture pain. It doesn't hurt much, but it messes with you mentally.  
  
"Before he would just yell, but then he stared insulting me, calling me names, making me hate myself. When that became boring, he got a little more physical, but that too came in stages. He started doing all those torturing lover things that are wonderful if you're in love, which we weren't, and if you're gentle, which he most definitely wasn't. He would bite my lip when he kissed me, but hard enough to draw blood... pull my hair when he ran his fingers through it... and when he felt me up... 'ow' is the only word that comes to mind. He would frequently just slam me into walls and let his hands have their way with me, as ruthlessly as they saw fit. There was never any pleasure from my side. Never was there any real abuse, thank god. I mean sure, he'd backhanded me a few times. Okay, a lot... but my face was the only place he ever bruised. It wasn't like he beat the shit out of me," Hermione said, all in a slow and sad tone. Draco began to shake his head as she finished.  
  
"No man, under any circumstances, should ever lay hand on a woman in anger," he told her sternly, his hand gripping her side in a caring way. Hermione nodded.  
  
"I can't say I don't agree. God, it's been so long since I've even thought about this... Zane moved with his mother while I was away in sixth year. Somewhere in maybe Ireland, I think. I haven't seen him since and I've literally put him out of my mind. Until Thiz told me, I'd forgotten all about everything that had ever happened with him."  
  
"Good riddance, abusive, white-trash, muggle," Draco grumbled fiercely, his teeth grinding a bit.  
  
"Malfoy, I appreciate your help, but I honestly can't deal with you right now. I'm feeling kind of bad and I'd really like to talk to Draco, so, if you wouldn't mind, could you bring him out again, please?" Hermione asked and Draco looked shocked. She smiled and he chuckled.  
  
"You make it sound like I'm schizophrenic," he said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"I think you are," she told him. "There's Malfoy, who's big headed and sarcastic, has a bit of a temper, and is tragically romantic... then there's Draco, who is kind and caring and easy to talk to. Also romantic, but in a different way."  
  
"So, who do you like better?" Draco asked with a smirk and Hermione leaned into him.  
  
"I love you both," she assured him and Draco smiled.  
  
"We love you, too," he said, generating a giggle from his girlfriend. "So, if I'm Draco and I'm Malfoy, who's Ace?" Draco asked, still wearing his smirk.  
  
"You. Ace is an accumulation; the term given to the being that is Draco Malfoy, but not another personality," she said and Draco shook his head. He waited a moment, then smirked for the third time in ten minutes.  
  
"Who did you fall in love with?" This question came in a genuinely curious tone.  
  
"Draco," she said dreamily, then waited a moment before continuing. "Why do I feel the need to remind Malfoy that being jealous is absurd in this situation?"  
  
"I'm not jealous," Draco said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Of course you're not; you're Draco," she told him and he laughed.  
  
"I'm getting confused. It's not fair that I can't even tell which personality I'm using," he said and gave her a kiss on the temple as she began to giggle.  
  
.  
  
A/N: Whoa, creepy dudette right there... I'll tell you more about this dude in the next chapter, which also happens to be the final chapter of Christmas! Yeah! I got it done in only five! Woo hoo! Anyway; Will Zane seek out Hermione? Is her mother a mental case? What will happen when she goes back home (that's a LONG way away)? And, where the hell was her dad during this whole yelling thing? Find out; read on! Purple buttons rule! Click that one! You know the one.... yes! There! Goooood..... hehe.  
  
PRF:  
  
As many of you know, my computer died on Friday.  
  
::Moment of silence::  
  
Although, through the magic of my daddy, it's been revived.  
  
::HALLELUJAH!!!::  
  
But this means, because I really want to get this chappy out right now, I don't have time for PRFs. Sorry. Thanx for reviewing! I DID read the reviews, you know. I appreciate them. 


	44. Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt 5

Disclaimer: In conjunction with Tom Felton's painfully attractive hands, I do not own Harry Potter  
  
CHAPTER FORTY FOUR: Yuletide Tomfoolery Pt. 5  
  
.  
  
"Draco, can I talk to you?" Hermione asked as she crawled from the foot of the bed to the head and Draco looked up from the book on wand-less magic.  
  
"Sure, love. Is something wrong?" he asked from his horizontal position beside her. Hermione didn't answer, just crawled beneath the covers with him, moving close. Draco lifted his arm to let her crawl below it, his book closed over his thumb. Hermione remained silent for a while and Draco began to fiddle with her hair.  
  
"Do you remember when I told you that I slept with Krum, then I told you that it wasn't really all that involved?" she said quietly and Draco briefly paused before continuing to twist her hair between his fingers.  
  
"Mm," he said in answer and she paused again.  
  
"I think I'm misleading you on that; it was even less than you think. There was no actual... penetration, we'll call it. Victor didn't make it through foreplay," she said and Draco remained quiet, not quite sure what to make of this new information. "Remember when I told you about Zane, and I said that all he ever did was slap me?" she continued and he looked at her.  
  
"Yeah," Draco said worriedly and Hermione nodded.  
  
"I'm misleading you a bit there as well," she said and became quiet, closing her eyes. Draco looked concernedly at her.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked, his unease shining through.  
  
"Unsurprisingly, after a while he grew bored of his tiny concurs over me and decided it was time to move on. He asked me to sleep with him, but I refused, and he got mad. I should have just let him, but I was scared... he said it didn't matter, said there were other ways to make me his. He demonstrated, then asked me again, but I said no, so Zane gave up and forced me. I managed to avoid him for the next few days, then term started and I haven't seen, nor did I wish to see, him since. I'm sorry; I should have told you when I told you about Krum, but I honestly didn't remember. I've blocked him from my subconscious... he didn't exist until this morning," she said, uninterrupted, then fell silent again.  
  
"I'm sorry, love," Draco said quietly and pressed his lips into her hair. Hermione cuddled into him, trying to bring forth the protective feeling he gave her. "Can I ask you something about this?" he asked in a whisper and Hermione nodded. "What do you mean by 'he demonstrated'?" She sighed and paused a moment before pushing slightly away. "No, love, I'm sorry... don't go, you don't have to answer," Draco said pleadingly and Hermione smiled a little and gave him a kiss.  
  
"I can't show you unless I get my wand, and my wand is in the common room," she explained. Draco looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled curiously. He held out a hand toward the door and laughed a bit before speaking.  
  
"Accioway," he said and, surprising to both of them, Hermione's wand flew into his hand. Both looked wide-eyed at the wand, then turned to face each other.  
  
"How the hell did you do that?" Hermione asked in surprise and Draco shook his head.  
  
"I don't know... I-I didn't think it would work, I thought this was all some joke," he said in disbelief.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"This book I was reading... the first chapter basically says that if you aren't touching a wand and you say a spell in Pig Latin, it will still work... then the rest is how it was discovered..." he explained and Hermione blinked.  
  
"That's insane," she said, "It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever."  
  
"That may be true, but it still works, and I have to say, that's bloody brilliant," he said, then looked up at her. "Your wand," he said, the smile he had gained through discovery dropping to compliment his remembrance of why she needed it.  
  
"Oh, right," she said, also dropping her smile. Hermione took the wand from him and pointed it toward herself. "Finite incantrum," she said quietly and kept her eyes closed. Draco nearly gasped.  
  
"My god, Mia, what happened?" he asked, gingerly brushing his fingers across her darkly bruised cheek.  
  
"What?" she asked, bringing a hand to her face, a little too quickly, and winced. "Oh, that... it's not that bad, really... it wasn't all done at the same time. They don't heal when you put the spell on it, so each new one is added to the rest," she said calmly, as if it were nothing to even acknowledge. Draco was surprised by her unbothered attitude. "But that's not what I need to show you... the bruises I had to hid from the beginning, but this I let heal first," she explained and began to unbutton her nightshirt. Draco watched her with interest and a smile, but it fell when his eyes landed on upon her surprise. To his horror, she laughed. "He said he was just like Zorro."  
  
"Hermione..." **Bastard...** he cursed, reaching a hand to the spot just above her stomach, where, written in jagged scar, a large letter 'Z' proclaimed Zane's legacy. "That wasn't there the night you left the hospital wing... I would have noticed," he said as he ran his fingers over the rough skin. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Well, you were a little preoccupied," she pointed out, expected to generate at least a smile, but Draco just stared at her scar. "And I had the spell on, so you couldn't see it. Oh, but hey, now that I'm sharing secrets, I have another one. That spell covers up any unnatural body marking, which, unfortunately... includes tattoos," she said with a slight smirk and Draco looked up at her. **How can she be so calm about this? This is horrible, no one deserves to be treated this way.** he thought, but decided that it wouldn't make sense to alert her to the pain she should be feeling.  
  
"You have a tattoo?" he asked instead and Hermione's smile grew while she nodded eagerly. Without another word, she sat up and turned away, then let the silken shirt slide down her arms, exposing the skin from her shoulders to waist. On the small of her back was a blood red, black winged, snitch, with a wingspan of no more than three inches. "Wow," he said, sounding surprised. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Do you like it? I haven't seen it in forever," she said and turned away from him, trying as best as she could to see her marking. Finding this to be unsuccessful, Hermione turned back ahead with a pout. Then, she thought of something and a curious look came about her. "Accioway," she said, holding out her hand, and a small mirror flew immediately into it. Hermione laughed in amusement and held it behind her, looking at the reflection of her tattoo.  
  
"I do, but hey... what about that mark from the Singtransion? Why was that visible?"  
  
"Because it was a curse, so it registers like a mole would, which is natural. If Harry tried this spell, his scar would still be visible," she explained and he nodded. Draco watched her silently, admiring her untouched skin and running things through his mind. ** How can someone go through something like that and be so unaltered by it?** he wondered, but smiled as Hermione flipped her shirt back over her shoulders and began re buttoning it.  
  
Hermione turned and smiled at him, stopping her buttoning prematurely, leaving the top three undone, then spun and crawled back in beside her Slytherin. Lifting her wand, Hermione re-preformed the covering spell, then tossed the stick on the bedside table and blew out the candle.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, eyeing Draco suspiciously as she settled herself back down. Draco smiled and nodded.  
  
"I love you, Hermione," he whispered to her and she sighed happily and closed her eyes, her head resting on his arm. "I really do. I don't know how, but I'm going to save you from this. I won't let him or anyone else hurt you ever again, and with that I give you the Malfoy word," he said soothingly as Hermione fell closer to sleep. Draco placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and Hermione sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco. This was our first Christmas; it wasn't supposed to be like this. It would have been so perfect if they had never come home... I had so much planned for us..." she said sleepily, her lips the only movement she made.  
  
"Shh," Draco said quietly. "At least it will be memorable." Hermione made a slight and breathy laugh, then sighed and let Draco's gentle kisses lull her to sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, for Draco and Hermione, was spent writing a few letters, talking with Angelina, testing out Hermione's new broom against Draco's 'baby' (also known as the Cumulonimbus; fastest and most powerful racing broom ever sold; public or privately), and amusing themselves with wand-less magic. It was quickly discovered that many spells were harder to accomplish without magic than the summoning charm and required practice...  
  
"You're never going to get it, love," Draco said, shaking his head with an arrogant smirk.  
  
"Gee Ace, thanks for the support," Hermione said sarcastically and held her hand forcefully toward the teacup which was begging to become a canary. "Orinthioway." Nothing. "Err! Not even one stupid feather! How can you be so good at everything?" she complained in frustration. Draco chuckled and came up to her, giving her a kiss below her ear.  
  
"You beat me in Transfiguration last year," he told her and she groaned.  
  
"Don't remind me," she begged and he laughed.  
  
"Try again," he said. Hermione sighed and closed her eyes.  
  
"Orinthioway," she said dispassionately and slowly opened her eyes, not expecting to see more than the teacup. **A yellow teacup, if I'm lucky,** she thought. What she saw was indeed yellow, but nowhere near a cup; it was a large canary, looking a bit dazed and glassy, but a canary just the same. She shrieked, startling both Draco and the bird. "I did it!" she yelled happily, twirling around once and coming back to face a smiling Slytherin.  
  
"I knew you could," he said proudly, giving Hermione's smirking lips a kiss.  
  
"What's that, my reward? No cookie? And I distinctly remember you saying something along the lines of 'You're never going to get it, love.' That doesn't seem consistent with 'I knew you could,'" she pointed out and he laughed.  
  
"I was trying to get you to stop trying so damn hard. That was your problem the entire time; too much effort," he told her and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Too MUCH effort? That's absurd, there is no such thing," Hermione argued and he laughed again.  
  
"Have you ever seen the way Pansy does her make-up?" Hermione thought about this for a moment, then nodded.  
  
"Okay, so maybe it exists, but it doesn't apply here," she insisted.  
  
"Who are you kidding, Mia? That last time, the only time it worked, mind you, you barely put in any effort at all. Admit it, I'm right, you were trying too hard," he dared and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Alright, I'm an overachiever and it's finally bitten me in the arse. Happy now? I'm only agreeing because you'll hound me forever if I don't... now, let me try to turn it back into a cup," she suggested and held out her hand.  
  
"Try not to incinerate this one, will you? Poor Chester... he didn't deserve such an untimely end. I miss him already." Hermione laughed.  
  
"Draco, you owned Chester for about three seconds, he was in reality a piece of pottery, and I've repeatedly apologized. Please, just get over it already. It's not like I blew up your cat," Hermione said and Draco turned his head toward her.  
  
"Hey, Hermione... promise NOT to blow up my cat, should such an opportunity arise?" he asked seriously and Hermione stared.  
  
"Of course not, why would I do that?" she assured him and Draco smiled.  
  
"Just checking."  
  
"You're so weird," Hermione stated and turned back to her canary.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hermione, when do you want to leave tomorrow?" Draco asked, looking up from his book of drawings. Hermione, who was seated in a chair close to the sofa he was sprawled over, looked from 'The History of Beauxbatons' to her boyfriend, her face clueless.  
  
"Don't ask me. Once again, I have no knowledge of any of the mechanics of this trip, nor do I know what's in store for us on the other side. When do YOU think we should go?"  
  
"I think we should go right now, but I have a feeling you won't go for that," Draco said with a smirk, speaking, of course, of the trip to Gulden's Park. Hermione giggled.  
  
"No, that would be right. How about... whenever we wake up?" she suggested, but Draco shook his head.  
  
"I don't think I'll be going to sleep. I've always wanted to go there for real; it's not as fun when you buy the Glings," he told her and Hermione stuck out her bottom lip.  
  
"You have to go to sleep, Ace! If you don't, you'll turn into zombie from planet dead again. You know, this one time, you were sitting and just staring at the wall... it was rather creepy so I tried to get your attention. I swear I called your name ten times and you didn't even blink. I thought you were just sleeping with your eyes open, so I left you alone. And what the hell is a Gling?" Draco laughed.  
  
"Wow, was I really THAT bad?" She nodded. "Sorry. Oh, and a Gling is actually called a Generated Life-port Ring; Gling is just what everyone calls them. It's sort of like the rugby-box I was watching with your dad, but better. You buy the ring and put it on, then say where you want to go and it takes your mind there, but your body stays where it is. It's like you're remembering being there and not moving or talking or anything. Mum sends me one every year, but I told her we were going for real, so she didn't bother," he told her and she nodded.  
  
"Like virtual reality," she said and Draco was obviously a little confused.  
  
"Yeah... sure," he said, assuming it was true. Hermione laughed.  
  
"And it's called a TV, not a rugby-box," she said and he shrugged.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Hey, want to play cards with me? I'll teach you go-fish... it's simple," she asked and Draco clicked his teeth semi-nervously.  
  
"Um, okay... if you want to," he agreed and she giggled in excitement.  
  
"Good," she said happily, putting her book on the floor. Hermione pointed a finger toward the tiny table with their chessboard and the pieces immediately began to put themselves away. She pointed again and the table came toward her, filling the small space between herself and Draco. Then, she splayed her fingers and smiled as her deck of cards appeared in her hand.  
  
"Wow Mia... you're getting good," Draco complimented and Hermione smiled wider, then opened her mouth to speak a thank you, but didn't get a chance. "See? Not so hard when you don't try. Grandfather's book actually says 'magic such as this is not something a person can learn, it's simply something each possesses.' If you already have it, you don't need to work to get it."  
  
"Alright, I get it, you were right, I was wrong, end of discussion. I knew you would bug me about this," she said irritably as she dealt the cards.  
  
"Well, you did call me a grasshopper. Isn't that what grasshoppers do?" he retorted and Hermione shook her head, ignoring him as she began to explain how to play this game.  
  
Draco, as always seemed to be the case, caught on quickly, but was bored with the game before half an hour had passed. In light of this, Hermione opted for a new approach.  
  
"Alright, we'll try a new one. Let's see; there's old maid, but it's boring with two people, blackjack, palace, bullshit...which is pointless, forget I mentioned it, war... or we could try poker," Hermione listed and Draco smirked.  
  
"We can't play poker; it's nine o'clock; every teacher is sleeping," he said and she laughed. "Teach me war, it sounds the most interesting," he said and Hermione began to deal again with a slight nod and a wide smile.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The next day, New Year's Eve, Hermione woke Draco promptly at seven o'clock. She was already showered, but only partially dressed, wearing a towel over her undergarments.  
  
"Draco," she said warmly, smiling at his sleeping form. At his failure to respond, she smiled and leaded in close to his ear. "Fie, you slug-abed!" she practically yelled, causing Draco to jump. She giggled as he grumbled. "What, not a word? You take your pennyworths now; sleep for a week; for the next night, I warrant, The County Paris hath set up his rest, that you shall rest but little," she said and Draco laughed.  
  
"God, I hope not. Hm... no the most innocent of Shakespearian quotes you've chosen, is it?" he said sleepily, opening one eye. Hermione smiled.  
  
"No, but it suited my purpose, didn't it? And it fit quite well, other than the whole Paris romping you next week part," she said.  
  
"I'm okay with it as long as you're Paris," he said slyly, blinking the other eye open. Hermione giggled and leaned in to kiss him, placing a hand on his chest.  
  
"We'll see. Right now, you have to get up Mr. I'm-not-going-to-sleep," she said and stood up, hands on her hips. Draco mumbled some obscenities and reluctantly obeyed, moving slowly. Hermione giggled and he turned to her, eyes widening a bit as he noticed her attire. Draco swallowed and looked her up and down.  
  
"What's that you've got on, love?" he asked stupidly and Hermione looked down.  
  
"It's a towel, Draco... what does it look like? I haven't decided on what to wear yet," she said and Draco smirked, taking a step toward her.  
  
"Just wear that; it's nice," he said, moving his lips close to hers. Hermione parted her lips to begin a retort, but Draco silenced her with his own. His hands moved slowly up her back until they reached her shoulders, then he slid his fingers beneath the black bra straps, which sprouted from the white cotton blanket, and traced down to the rim of the towel. Never breaking away, his hands moved to the front of her covering and parted the ends, letting the material pool at their feet. Hermione giggled into his mouth as his hands became a little fresh, and let them have their fun for a minute, then reached to stop them, finishing the kiss hardly and pulling away.  
  
"We can play Paris and Juliet later. Right now, you should go take a shower, and might I suggest; a cold one?" she whispered, pulling Draco's hands away. He smiled and kissed her one more time.  
  
"Sorry," he whispered back, then turned to go, looking back in time to see Hermione recover herself with her towel. He stuck out his lip, an action no one can resist, and Hermione smiled as she quickly reopened and again closed the covering, giving him one last glimpse of her scarcely covered skin. He smiled and winked before leaving the bedroom.  
  
Halfway to the bathroom, Draco had a thought. He held up his hand with a smirk and in seconds was holding a white cotton bath towel. He waited for a moment, and, sure enough, Hermione yelled to him.  
  
"Draco!" she scolded and he chuckled a bit.  
  
"You looked better without it!" he called back and quickly retreated to the lavatory.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I don't want to be Paris; he tried to screw a dead girl," Draco said as the head couple made their way down the Hogsmeade path once again.  
  
"There is so much wrong with that sentence I don't even know where to begin. First off, although that's what I though too, we don't know for sure that that's what Shakespeare was implying. Paris might have just been paying last respects... in the middle of the night. Secondly, she wasn't really dead," Hermione said back, shaking her head a bit at the pointlessness of this conversation.  
  
"Yes, but he thought she was," Draco pointed out and Hermione nodded.  
  
"True, but anyway, I thought I was Paris?"  
  
"You can't be, because if you are, that makes me Juliet... and that's just wrong. How about I just stick with Romeo, hm?" he suggested and Hermione nodded.  
  
"It doesn't matter; she was supposed to sleep with both of them... but you know, it's kind of funny; if you're Romeo, that makes Crabbe and Goyle Benvolio and Mercutio and your parents the Montague's... I'd have to suggest McGonagall and Dumbledore as the Capulet's, however... it makes more sense rivalry wise," Hermione said with a smile and Draco did the same, liking this conversation quite a bit.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Capulet lets Romeo stay at the party, but his wife sides with Tybalt on his leaving, although she doesn't say as much. Slightly like Christmas."  
  
"Okay," she said and shrugged. "My parents are the Capulet's, then. Ron is Tybalt and Harry is Paris, but only because Ron is more apt to try to kill you than Harry. McGonagall is the nurse then, because of that whole grandmother thing..." she paused for a moment, then smirked. "Dumbledore is Friar Lawrence, making Snape Friar John because he never delivered that message to you," she continued.  
  
"Yeah, and because I want him to contract the plague," Draco said evilly and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Friar John never contracted the plague," she reminded him and Draco nodded.  
  
"I know, but he came pretty close. Now, who's Roseline?" he asked and Hermione looked up to the sky blissfully.  
  
"Um... Ginny," she said and he nodded.  
  
"That makes sense if Ron is Tybalt... I'm not sure if he and Roseline were brother and sister, but they must have been related," he said and she nodded. "Alright, but that means I've been pining Ginny... which is as far from the truth as possible. I actually thought her name was Jenny until at least third year," he said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Well, it has to be someone from my side, so it's either Ginny or Thisbe, and Ginny makes more sense, considering the Ron relation and the fact that Roseline won't give Romeo the time of day and if you showed even the slightest bit of interest in Thisbe, and I wasn't yet in the picture, she'd be on you like Harry on a snitch..." Hermione said. "So Ginny is Roseline. Like it or not, you pined her. Pined, past tense. You're mine now."  
  
"Of course," he said and looked down the path. "That's what your mother thought, wasn't it? That there was something between Thisbe and I?" Hermione's smile dropped and she nodded sadly. "It's not true, Hermione. I swear. All that happened was she asked me to zap her shoes, so I did and she got all excited so I told her she was easily amused and she said that I was too, because of the E-mail, and I agreed. Then we started downstairs and heard you yelling; half the time we were just waiting for a good time to intervene," he said urgently and Hermione nodded.  
  
"I know; I believe you. Neither of you would do that; my mum is a nutcase. She was trying to turn me against you. Don't worry, I never even rethought it," she said and Draco took her hand.  
  
"Good. I feel I should tell you, though... I think Thisbe has a little more than a friendly attraction to me, and to be honest, it's freaking me out. She is the most obvious crusher I've ever met," he told her and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I noticed that too. I should have expected it, though. She falls in love with at least ten guys a day," Hermione said and Draco breathed a slight sigh of relief.  
  
"Wow, now I feel special."  
  
"Well, would you rather it be you're the only guy she's ever admired and she can't have you because she knows you're mine, so she pines you like Romeo pined Roseline, except Roseline runs off with Paris leaving Romeo alone forever, searching for you while Juliet suffocates in the Capulet tomb because no one came to let her out? Do you really want that on your conscience?" Hermione asked and Draco stared for a moment, then shook his head.  
  
"Whoa... you lost me around where we got back into Shakespeare." Hermione laughed.  
  
"Never mind... it's not important," she said, sighing happily.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
As they walked through the tiny town, Draco apparated without warning, which was surprising, but not unpleasant, for Hermione and caused her to let out a stream of amused giggles as the tingly feeling of surprise drifted away. Draco smiled at her as the world changed from Hogsmeade to Gangory, Wales, home of Gulden's Park. Once again, the couple found themselves in the woods.  
  
"Is the scenic route always necessary?" she asked, but didn't sound upset and Draco nodded.  
  
"Less visibility... muggles and what not. The park is a 'for wizard eyes only' type of place, though. No muggles. Come on, it's only nine; we might still get a seat," he said and pulled her toward a marked path. As they briskly walked, Hermione repeatedly adjusted the shoulder bag she had brought along, which was getting rather heavy. Inside was their wands and money, as well as Draco's wand-less magic book, the deck of cards, Hermione's book on Beauxbatons and various other things they might need.  
  
She wondered why she hadn't put a featherweight charm on it, and considered doing so now, but remembered that her wand was in the bag. After a few more minutes, Hermione realized that she needn't have her wand for such a simple spell and placed her hand on the course fabric, saying the words and sighing happily as the weight was lifted.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Gulden's Park was more like the Quidditch World Cup than Times Square. There was a gigantic stadium, which was able to hold well over a hundred thousand people, and Draco and Hermione were fairly lucky in finding a seat; almost directly in the middle, which Draco said was best.  
  
"I'm going to get some coffee, love. Save my seat, would you?" Draco asked after almost two hours of watching the Fire-faeries dance on the field below, simply for entertainment purposes. Hermione smiled at the thought of the warm beverage as Draco stood.  
  
"Sure," she said and he bent down for a quick kiss, then headed off down the stairs; it was convenient to sit on the end of a row.  
  
True to her word, Hermione swung her feet up on the metal bench, saving her boyfriend's seat. The surface was charmed to be warm and was quite comfortable, despite the cold air. Hermione crossed her arms and leaned sideways against the backrest. Normally, in a situation like this, she would have tucked her wand up her sleeve, but Hermione felt confident with her wand-less skills. She believed that every spell she could do with her wand could also be accomplished without it. Confidence was nice when surrounded by strangers.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco had been gone for about twenty minutes when something unexpected happened. Hermione was still sitting with her feet on Draco's seat, but now had her eyes closed, appearing to be asleep by any passerby; which was just what one tall and lanky old man thought. As he made his way down the stirs, the old man noticed Hermione and a menacing glint infested his eye. Slowly, the geezer crept up to her, keeping an eye on hers to make sure Hermione didn't wake up, and slowly reached a hand to pilfer her knapsack.  
  
Hermione, who was in fact not asleep, knew of a person rummaging her possessions and at first thought it was Draco. It didn't take long to realize that it wasn't, however... the aura of protection and warmth that accompanied him was not present; she knew almost immediately that it couldn't be the Slytherin.  
  
Instead of alerting the thief, Hermione remained still and quiet, waiting for something to happen. She heard he unwanted guest pull her bag across the ground, then stand and stealthily walk away. Now was the time for action.  
  
"Hey!" she called, spinning to place her feet on the ground and standing, looking angry. The old man, upon hearing her call, began to run. "Get back here, you prat!" Hermione yelled and began following him. Upon the realization that he was much faster than she, Hermione held out her hand. "Etrificuspay Otalustay," she said quietly so no one would hear. The man stopped dead in his tracks, arms snapping to his sides and bag falling to the ground. Hermione jogged up to him and picked up her bag, then turned and sneered at the man. "I believe this is mine, thank you."  
  
"Excuse me, Miss. Is there a problem here?" said a tall, thin, young man with dark olive skin and scarlet red hair. He wore a black uniform with a badge that proclaimed him security on his left breast, and one on his right introducing him as Freddie Valentine. Hermione smiled sweetly at the security guard, then turned back to the man she had followed.  
  
"Actually Sir, there is. This man here took the liberty of stealing my bag; not the nicest hello I've ever received," she said irritably and the officer nodded.  
  
"Is that so? Well, we can't have that. Are you alright, Miss?" he asked and Hermione nodded. "Good, good. I suppose I'll be taking this gentlemen to Park Quarantine, then," he said and took hold of the man's stiff-arm.  
  
"Just a moment, please, officer," Hermione said, stopping the men from apparating. She stepped up to the burglar and gave him one hard slap across the face. Freddie laughed.  
  
"If anyone bother's you again, I'll be patrolling this area tonight. Just call for officer Valentine and I'll be with you right quick Miss...?"  
  
"Granger," Hermione provided and Freddie nodded.  
  
"Miss Granger. Enjoy your evening," he said and disappeared with a pop. Hermione lifted her bag onto her shoulder and started back up the stairs. She hadn't gone long when what felt like the hand of god lifted her from the ground and pushed her quickly back to her seat... and into the waiting arms of Draco Malfoy. Hermione smiled as she felt herself unintentionally advancing on him at a quiet alarming rate and opened her arms to him as she was roughly pushed into his embrace. She giggled as he squeezed her.  
  
"You're back," she said happily, embracing him equally hard. Draco squeezed tighter for a moment, then let her go.  
  
"Yes, but you weren't," he said, sounding almost as if he were scolding her. Hermione smiled and kissed him, causing Draco to forget his worries for a moment and focus on her 'punishment.'  
  
"I'm sorry," she said when they broke away. "But this stupid git took my bag and I had to go chase after him."  
  
"What? Are you alright, love?"  
  
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. I stunned him and found a cute security guard to take him to Quarantine. Hey, you wouldn't happen to know what just happened, would you? That was kind of fun, actually," Hermione said, speaking of her antics as if they happened everyday, then smiling as she spoke of the flight. Draco nodded, looking smug.  
  
"Of course, I summoned you," he told her and she blinked.  
  
"Like a death eater?" Hermione asked in wonder and Draco laughed.  
  
"No, more like a towel," he said, lifting his eyebrows three times. Now she laughed.  
  
"Gee, Ace. I didn't know you wanted me that badly," she teased, moving her head to his shoulder for another hug. Draco groaned, generating another soft Gryffindor giggle.  
  
"You have no idea," he said in a husky whisper and squeezed Hermione close again.  
  
.  
  
A/N: YES! LAST CHAPTER OF CHRISTMAS! Woo-hoo! Zane's an even bigger arse than we thought! How barbaric was that? ::Shudder:: let's all hope New Year's goes better. Christmas just sucked. Do you think I'm THAT mean that I would mess up their New Year's after I messed Christmas ROYALLY? We'll find out... more fun ahead!  
  
I just realized something. Tom Felton has the most attractive hands I have ever seen in my entire life. If I ever find another guy with hands like his... I don't care if he's Zane's reincarnation... I'm going to capture and never let him go. Honestly... find a picture where you can see his hands; I want them so badly! My hands! Mine!  
  
PRF:  
  
Tom*Feltons*Babe: Zane sucks and Mione's mom is wacko!  
  
My Arwen: Is Arwen a popular character? It's from LOTR right? I have another reviewer who's just Arwen. Anyhow...and yeah, I know... it's kinda long. Thanx for spending so much time on my fic!  
  
Kat19: Lol, god knows... and thanx.  
  
Marina: I don't mean to sound like a freak or mean or anything, but could you specify what you think is redundant? I've tried and tried and I don't quite see what you mean... not that I'm proclaiming my story immaculate or anything, I'm just confused. I'd like to fix anything I can. Thanx for reviewing.  
  
*Karly*: No, Hermione's mum DOESN'T know what Zane did. Even a bad mother would keep her kids away from someone like THAT. Mione just doesn't feel comfortable sharing. I will get into more detail about this later when the whole 'You have to go home and I can't come with you... and he's there' thing comes up at the end of school. Such plans I have.  
  
Purplerks: I'll read your story if I get a chance, but right now I'm swamped! You guys are lucky I'm even posting! Thanx for all the wonderful comments, though! Hehe.  
  
Erilyn Rose: Thisbe will NOT lay a FINGER on Draco while Hermione's around... despite what Mrs. Granger may thing. Yes, she insane, and yes, Zane's off the deep end... but yeah.  
  
XxSleepygirlxx- There's nothing wrong with Thisbe. She's on the good side. So what if she's attracted to Draco? She's keeping her hands off. I'd be attracted too... lol. But you can hate Mione's mum. She's a freak.  
  
Little Witch: Lol, I read your review and I was confused for a minute... first you said Malfoy, then Draco. Usually, people who like stories where Draco is the bad guy say Malfoy, and people who like good guy Draco's say Draco... but then I realized you were making reference to Mia's whole schizophrenia theory... lol. And you're right, by the way.  
  
Hermiown: I thought Hermione's name was pronounced 'Herm-e-own' or Hermion, I guess, throughout like half the first book, but then I watched the movie and I'm like OH! Lol. Thanx for the review!  
  
Joebob1379: I almost wrote Hoebob, lol. And I know it's weird, but HELL YEAH, I READ REVIEWS! Lol. And that 'remember what happened last time' thing won't really be elaborated on... it was just like a foreshadowing type thing telling you that Zane was abusive. No specific situation... yeah.  
  
Girl Named Belle: Yes, I agree. But I can't yet. He comes into play later. Anyway, yes, his name is cool. I overheard my friend Sam talking about this kid from another school named Zane and I'm like, that's cool. I didn't mean to diss him by makin him all evil, but it was the only new character I needed. Same thing with Reif (you'll meet him later) I got that name from an English test on point of view in stories (so EASY! LGG is Third Person Limited. MPES is First person. Flames is TPL.... and Twist is TPL. I like TPL, lol)  
  
Cat: I will. I have up to their written, I just need to type it. Soon, soon.  
  
Jade-Snake: Thanx. I thought it was pretty cool too.  
  
I am happy to announce that FLAMES OF ECSTASY is quite close to completion. I'd say within sixty chapters. Don't worry, there will be a sequel. It was originally said it would be called ALL TRUTHS BEGIN IN WHISPER, but that's not definite. I'm thinking about it. It's hard when you haven't written it all... I'm not exactly sure where it's going. Thanx for reading and whatnot!  
  
Tom Felton has godly hands! 


	45. Tyclones, Glings, and Misfortunate Thing...

Disclaimer: The once was a boy from Cape Cotter, who wanted to meet Harry Potter He jumped on a broom, and fell to his doom But it seems he a teeny bit hotter.  
  
I know, it has nothing to do with a disclaimer... okay, here: Mandy Marie was a writer, who torched all her ideas with lighter. She borrowed JK's, and it's there that she stays. So hopefully won't need to fighter. (get it, fight-her? Okay, w/e)  
  
* * *  
  
CHAPTER FORTY FIVE: Tyclones, Glings, and Misfortunate Things  
  
Draco and Hermione were in the middle of a game of midair war (in which the cards were passed from hand to hand instead of placed on a surface) when a bright light emitted from the field. The coruscation attracted the attention of most of the stadium and hundreds of heads turned to see what was going on.  
  
The brightness died down after only a few seconds and in its place was a band, consisting of five members; a lead singer, two guitars, one drummer, and what looked like...  
  
"An electric ukulele?" Hermione questioned as the stands broke out in cheers and the band began to play a fast paced rock song. She turned to look cluelessly at Draco, only to see that he was standing up and cheering along. He turned back to Hermione with a broad smile.  
  
"Look, Mia! It's HEX!" he said, then turned back to edge on the band as if they wouldn't play if he didn't yell; not that you could hear them over the noise. Hermione stood.  
  
"Who?" she asked, squinting to get a better look.  
  
"Hex! Horded Ethereal Ecstasy? Don't tell me you've never heard of them!" She shook her head.  
  
"Never listen to my World Wizard Broadcaster. Shouldn't their abbreviation be HEE and not HEX?" Draco rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, technically, but where's the fun in that? Listen, they're awesome!" he insisted and Hermione tried, but she could barely hear anything but the crowd and the amped up guitars. Instead of being stuck up and complaining, Hermione pretended that she, like so much of the crowd, loved the band; yelling at the top of her lungs, just for the rush.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hex played for almost three hours before they decided to take a break and it was now close to eight o'clock. Draco, mastermind that he was, had picked up a bag of pastries when he had purchased their coffee and now opened the bag, handing Hermione a chocolate one without bothering to ask first. She smiled and gave him a small thank you kiss before hungrily digging into her éclair. This was the first she had eaten since a large breakfast that morning in the great hall and was rather hungry, although the concert had distracted her from her rumbling stomach.  
  
Looking down the field, Hermione could see that large groups of veelas were accompanying the next act. She swallowed and bit her lip, then looked at Draco, who was chewing slowly and concentrating on pulling the lacy white frosting from his cheese danish. She smiled at his ignorance and decided not to alert him to the presence of the magical beings. Thanks to the Quidditch World Cup, she knew what those ravishing beauties were capable of. **Here come the little gold diggers now, ** she thought as they began to circle the field. Seeing that Draco still hadn't noticed them, but would undoubtedly soon, Hermione thought quick to lift up the folding armrest between them and slide closer to her boyfriend, who accepted her with a smile as he finished his last bite of pastry. She pulled her legs up underneath her and rested herself against him, head on his chest with a perfect view of the band.  
  
Unlike the showy entrance of HEX, the next band simply walked into the center of the field and held up their hands simultaneously, causing their equipment to appear. Without another word or action, they simply began to play. Hermione's eyes widened as she recognized the song.  
  
"Draco, who is that?" she asked and, confirming her suspicion, he said,  
  
"Um, Mud Puddle, maybe? I'm not sure; something like that."  
  
"You mean Puddle of Mudd? That's what I thought, but aren't they muggles?" she asked, but Draco shook his head.  
  
"No, but it's good that you think that. A lot of muggle bands are really wizards who play muggle music. Obviously, they're supposed to be passed of as muggles in the muggle world, but they play their songs on the WWB. You would know that if you listened to it once in a while," he teased and she squeezed close for a moment.  
  
"Yeah, I should remember that," she agreed, then remained silent for a while. Hermione looked up to see Draco with his eyes closed, head bobbing slightly with the music, and he opened his lids to look at her with a smile when she moved. Hermione smiled too and Draco went back to watching the band.  
  
**Either one) he never noticed the veelas, two) he did and is ignoring them, or three) they have no effect on him. All of the above are fine with me," she said and happily closed her eyes, moving in closer.  
  
Hermione had been awake for nearly three hours before she had even thought of waking Draco that morning and the lack of sleep was catching up with her. It wasn't long before she was ignorant to the cheers and music around her, being lulled to sleep by the rhythmic rising and falling of Draco's chest.  
  
Draco knew she was sleeping and did absolutely nothing to change it. Although surprised that she could even do so with all the noise, he decided it was probably good for her. Draco gave Hermione a soft kiss on her head, then gently rubbed her back as he turned his attention back to the field. The entire arena had been overtaken by the brightest of fire nymphs, who were each stationed in a mirrored box, projecting the luminescence across the crowd while others simply buzzed about the field and shedding light on the ground.  
  
The muggle mud band was still playing, but as the darkness grew heavier, the cheering died down as well. Many, like Hermione, were taking the relaxing few hours before the show to catch up on some sleep, but Draco remained awake, taking in everything and listening to the band. **All of their songs are sadistic and traumatizing. That guy was probably abused as a child. One too many crucio'll do that to you. **  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Fie, you slug-abed," Draco whispered loudly into Hermione's ear, rubbing her back rather firmly. Hermione groaned and shifted.  
  
"Let's not get into this again, as fun as it was the first time," she pleaded and Draco laughed.  
  
"We can't now anyway; you've ruined it. If I said 'What, not a word?' it wouldn't make much sense now that you've spoken. Plus, I don't want to be Paris. Sorry to wake you, love. Lord knows I didn't want to, but the show starts in fifteen minutes, and I though you might like to see it," he said and Hermione smiled, stretching a bit.  
  
"Yeah, that's kind of why I came. What time is it?" she said with a laugh.  
  
"Mm... quarter after eleven," he told her and Hermione stopped, opening her eyes and looking around the stadium, which was substantially darker than she remembered.  
  
"What? How long have I been sleeping?"  
  
"I don't know... like three hours," Draco said, frowning as she sat up and the chilly night air replaced her body heat.  
  
"You just sat there for three hours and let me sleep on you?" she asked with a smile as she took off the black blanket that covered her and swung her feet back onto the ground.  
  
"Yeah; it was almost the same thing I would have been doing anyway," he said with a shrug and Hermione kissed him.  
  
"Thanks," she said and readjusted the blanket over their laps, noticing the slight shivering Draco had taken to since she'd moved. Hermione stopped suddenly, looking confused. "Did we bring a blanket?" she asked and Draco laughed.  
  
"No, but I wish we had," he said, holding out his hands, one of which was bare while it's other was encased in a thick black glove. He had obviously transfigured his glove into the throw they now wore. "My hand is cold," he said, and wasn't lying; Draco's fingers were stiff and numb from exposure, but it was a small price to pay to keep Hermione a little warmer.  
  
"Aw," she giggled, taking his hand in hers and massaging a little warmth into it. "That we can fix." Hermione arched her back to get better access to her pocket. She pulled out a frilly pink and white knitted glove, complete with a big puffball on the wrist. Draco looked appalled and helpless as she happily slipped it over his uncovered hand. "You'll wear mine; I'm not using them anyway," she said and settled herself back down.  
  
"Thanks..." Draco managed, staring at his very unmanly dressed appendage. Hermione smiled and took his pink hand in hers, bringing it to her lips. "What happened to your black ones?" he asked and she giggled. Hermione knew he would say something about the new installment, but she didn't particularly mind.  
  
"They're in my other coat. If you want, I can give you the other one so you'll match," she suggested with a smirk. Draco laughed unenthusiastically.  
  
"No, no, that won't be necessary. But I must insist you get your cute little Gryffindor arse back over here. You can't keep me warm that long and then just move away and leave me to freeze. It doesn't work that way," he lectured and Hermione giggled before gladly moving close to her chilled Slytherin. "Mm... thank you." Hermione smiled and snuggled into him, ready to close her eyes again when a screeching sound was heard. Draco and Hermione, as well as almost every head in the stadium, looked to the sky where a beam of light, much like a muggle firework, was gaining altitude. As it reached its scheduled point, the beam exploded in a burst of blinding blue light. Behind this mystery light was a smoky fog. The mist cleared quickly, displaying a digital countdown clock made entirely of sparkle sprites, which hovered together, lighting the numbers. The time started at thirty minutes and began to count down.  
  
"Wow! Oh, this is so exciting!" Hermione squealed, jumping in her seat. Draco laughed.  
  
"It gets better, love," he told her. "See? Watch." Draco pointed to the field where an army of Tyclones were spinning, preparing to merge. Hermione's eyes widened. She had read about Tyclones, but had never really seen one. These magical creatures weren't found in the forbidden forest; they much preferred warm costal regions. The Tyclone is composed of the three purest bloods; unicorn, phoenix, and the black empress dragon, all swirling together in a shape much like a tiny tornado, with a breathtaking quality that could captivate the dark lord.  
  
As the crowds watched, the Tyclones merged into one large funnel, which held beautiful lightning dances in its bowels. Then, with a melodious crackle, the mother-clone split into three smaller spirals; one of each blood. As per tradition, the unicorn blood tunnel twisted into a tight rod, then a piece of silvery cloth seemed to fall from it, leaving a cloud of black fire that swirled up and disappeared. The same ritual was repeated for the phoenix blood Tyclone, but with red fire, and finally the dragon blood. This final rod held breath taking white flame, which, unlike the other two, did not billow up and disappear. Instead, it spread out, showering the crowd with a warm and fragrant wind.  
  
The crowd burst out in applause as some uniformed wizards raced out on the field to gather up the material that had been left behind.  
  
"That's what invisibility cloaks are made of," Draco told Hermione. "This is the only time and place the Tyclones mate; that's the next year's line. The entire line. Good turn out tonight; last year the entire Phoenix sheet was flamed. I'd say maybe fifteen cloaks all together this year."  
  
"Wow," she whispered in awe. "No wonder they're so expensive." Draco nodded and looked back up to the countdown clock. Five minutes left. Looking around the stadium at the many awestruck faces that watched the clean up crew, Draco smiled to himself for no reason other than to show his contentment. Then, he caught sight of something that made him smirk.  
  
"Hey Mia, look, do you see those men?" he asked her, pointing discretely at a thin man in a suit who reminded Hermione of Jay Leno, talking to a rather overweight man with a large orange 'G' on his black shirt. Strangely, his eyes seemed blank, but alive, and he kept them open as wide as possible.  
  
"Yeah," she said, looking confusedly at the men.  
  
"The one with weird eyes is the Gling cameraman. Whatever he sees, the Gling wearers see. The guy in the suit is Kenneth Larson, the American who highlights the evening for the viewers. Don't get in their way unless you want to be seen by thousands of witches and wizards across the globe," Draco said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"Definitely good to know. Hey, they're coming this way," she said nervously, but Draco wasn't paying attention.  
  
"Who cares, it's almost midnight!" he said and stood, just as the crowd began the ten-second countdown. "Come on, stand up!" he urged with a laugh and pulled Hermione to her feet. Placing an arm around her waist, Draco joined her in looking up at the sky.  
  
"Five... four... three..." the crowd chorused and Hermione turned to Draco. "Two..." He turned to her. "One... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The crowd erupted in cheers of excitement, but Hermione and Draco remained silent. They were doing something more with their mouths than yelling.  
  
Had they not been kissing and instead been paying attention, the Hogwarts golden couple would have noticed the wonderful collection of all the magical creatures that had performed on the field, each doing what they were born to do, which, when combined, had a mind numbing effect. And, had they been paying attention, Draco and Hermione would have noticed the Gling cameraman standing just feet away, staring directly at them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Mia, look behind you," Draco said quietly as soon as their New Year's kiss was finished. Confused, but definitely happy, Hermione smiled and turned to see the Gling man. She let out an embarrassed giggle and quickly turned her face away, into Draco's sweater. "It's alright, love. Wave; I bet Harry and Ron are watching," he said and lifted his hand in an innocent wave. Hermione giggled again, but complied wiggling her fingers.  
  
"I doubt it, I don't even think they know what a Gling is, much less would have one," she said and Draco smiled.  
  
"They should, I sent both of them one for Christmas," he told her and Hermione smiled widely before pushing up to give him a peck, but it became a deep, passionate, kiss. She forgot all about the Gling man, the screaming stands, and the New Year; there was just a Slytherin and a Gryffindor, kissing at two minutes past midnight.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
As they broke away, Draco looked up to see that the Gling man was now making his way down the steps, looking out over the crowd. He felt Hermione rest her head on his chest and looked back down, smiling.  
  
"Our moment to shine has passed us, my dear," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"And shine we did. So much for Hollywood," she agreed. Draco paused a moment, then asked,  
  
"How many people do you think just found out about us?"  
  
"How many cameramen are there?"  
  
"Just one," he said with a widening smile.  
  
"Well in that case... hundreds of thousands, but people we know? I'd say at least half of Slytherin, quite a few Gryffindor, a handful of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff... along with probably the entire staff. Not bad for my first television appearance," Hermione said, sounding amused.  
  
"But this isn't television, this is Gling-vision," Draco corrected, then laughed a bit. "My mum just saw us kissing," he told her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"When do you think she'll regain consciousness?" she asked and Draco laughed again, squeezing her in a hug.  
  
"Well, well, well, I see the mudblood bitch moves on fast," said an arrogantly amused voice that Draco did not recognize, but Hermione obviously did. She tensed in Draco's arms and he frowned, looking up to see a man who seemed to be the complete opposite of himself. The intruder had chocolate brown skin, jet-black hair and eyes, and, eerily, was almost a mocking of Draco's former self; thin and moderately muscular, standing proudly with arms crossed and a superior smirk.  
  
Slowly, Hermione broke out of Draco's grasp and turned to face the man who had spoken to her.  
  
"What are you doing here Reif? How did you even know I'd be here?" she asked quietly, sounding sad and defeated. Reif let out a hearty laugh.  
  
"I though you were supposed to be smart, Hermione? Seems your mother thinks too highly of you. Stupid women. Told me you'd be here, but I didn't actually expect to find you," he smirked and leaned a bit closer to her. Placing his fingers below her chin, Reif looked closely for a moment, then laughed and pushed her chin away. "Must be my lucky day," he said with heavy sarcasm.  
  
Meanwhile, Draco was growing increasingly angrier. Hermione could feel it; his whole body was tense and would tend to have spasms of furious shaking. Draco's clenched fists kept themselves at his sides, however how, he didn't know. Sensing that he might do something rash at any moment, Hermione stepped in. **Time to be a brave Gryffindor. Draco will protect me if something goes wrong, he promised... oh lord, I love him. **  
  
"Reif, please, just leave us alone. Tell mother you didn't see me; it doesn't have to be this way. Or better, we'll leave," she said with the same sad tone, turning away to pick up her bag, only to be stopped by a harsh hand on her shoulder, spinning her back. Reif looked angry; eyes full of malice. Hermione made a peeping gasp.  
  
"Do NOT turn away from me, mudblood. We've talked about this," he said coldly and Hermione worked up a bit of courage, but still found herself unable to look him in the eye. His black beetle eyes...  
  
"More like you yelled at me about this," she said, ending shortly and preparing for the explosion of pain that would burn across her face. Strangely, it didn't come. Reif had indeed raised his hand, but his dark appendage came into contact with a skin much paler than Hermione's olive tone.  
  
"I believe the lady asked to be left alone." Hermione heard Draco say and hesitantly opened her eyes. Reif's enraged glare was now directed to her boyfriend, who in turn maliciously narrowed his eyes. He was holding Reif by the wrist, stopping any harm that could possibly come to his Hermione. The clash between their skin tones would have been beautiful, had the situation not been so heated.  
  
"Ah, yes. You. I've heard about you as well," Reif said, each time spitting the word 'you'. He broke his hand free from Draco's grasp. "Malfoy, is it? Yes, your father was a good friend of mine. Shame, what happened to him."  
  
"Shame it didn't happen sooner," Draco snapped and his new friend, who was fast becoming enemy, chuckled.  
  
"So it's all true then? First you disgrace your father, then the lord, and now you go gallivanting around with the mudblood. Had Lucius taught you nothing? You really are a disgrace to all purebloods," Reif said, shaking his head. Then, in a movement that would have been brushed off by most, the dark haired man's eye twitched. Draco looked suspicious, then squinted a bit before his eyes grew wide.  
  
"Flagg?" Draco asked in amazement and Reif rolled his eye while Hermione snapped her head toward the Slytherin, surprised that he would know the last name of her attacker. Then, Draco looked more enraged than she'd ever seen him. "You raped my mother, you bastard!" he growled fiercely and Hermione was quick to place a hand on his chest to keep him from attacking. Reif laughed amusedly and nodded.  
  
"She was a good shag, too. Much better than Muddy here... but then again, she wasn't as aggressive," he said, looking away a bit in thought. Draco tried to push through Hermione's barrier, but she held firm. "Letting the mudblood pick your battles for you as well? Your father must be spinning in his grave..." Once again, Draco made another small attempt to push past her, but Hermione wanted this stopped right away.  
  
"Officer Valentine!" she called. Draco seemed not to notice her call and kept his eyes on Reif, who was looking at Hermione as if she were insane. Before anyone could speak another word, a frazzled looking Freddie appeared.  
  
"Oh, it's you again, Miss Granger. What seems to be the problem this time?" said the security guard, taking note of a strawberry faced Draco.  
  
"I believe I have another one for quarantine, officer," she said, glaring at Reif.  
  
"Is this man bothering you, Miss Granger?" he asked, gesturing toward the peeved looking intruder who had more than bother them. Before Hermione could answer, Reif put on a cheerily innocent smile.  
  
"Of course not, we were just having a friendly conversation, weren't we, Muddy?" he said and a low growl escaped Draco's throat.  
  
"Like hell!" he yelled. "And don't call her that!"  
  
"Miss Granger?" asked Freddie, who was looking a bit confused.  
  
"Yes, sir. This man is definitely bothering me," Hermione said as if it were the understatement of her entire lifetime. She sighed. "We just want to leave. Could you possibly assist us in removing the element preventing our departure?" she asked sweetly. Freddie smiled quickly, then turned to Reif with a firm glare.  
  
"Of course, ma'am. I'll have to ask you to come with me, sir." Reif rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, yeah... screw you buddy," he said, brushing off the skinny man like vermin. Reif wasn't stupid; he knew Valentine was nowhere near a match for him. Freddie got a little red in the face, which, combined with his deeply dark red hair, gave him a slight resemblance to Ron Weasley. Without another word, the security guard turned his glare into a smirk and lifted his hand. With a snap of his fingers, four more men, all wearing matching black uniforms, appeared behind Valentine.  
  
"Sir, I'll have to ask you to come with me," Freddie repeated, crossing his arms. The men behind him all looked to Reif, smiling evilly.  
  
"Buggar off," said Flagg, turning to walk away. Freddie flicked his head toward one of his minions and the man produced a wand, stunning the disrespectful man immediately. Freddie gave a nod and the men disappeared again. He took a step toward Reif and placed a hand on his arm.  
  
"Miss Granger, would you like to do the honors?" asked Valentine with a wide smile. Not needing to be asked twice, Hermione took a step forward and directed a fierce punch toward Reif's face, her fist making contact with a sickening crunch. Both Draco and Freddie winced.  
  
"Thank you, officer," Hermione said sweetly and Freddie nodded.  
  
"Of course, Miss, and may I offer my sincerest apologies for the troubles that seem to be following you this evening," he said and Hermione nodded, turning back toward Draco as Freddie disappeared with Reif.  
  
Hermione was quiet for a moment, standing with her head down and her eyes closed while Draco stared at the spot Reif had stood as if he were waiting for the man to reappear again and burst into flames. She groaned and sat back on the bench, face in her hands. Draco heard this and snapped back to reality, eyes softening as he looked to Hermione. She was shaking and Draco had reason to believe it wasn't from the cold. He frowned and sat down beside her, placing a hand on her back. She turned to him and smoothly moved into a hug. Draco wrapped his arms around her without hesitation.  
  
"Shh, it's okay, Hermione. I've got you, it'll be alright," he whispered, trying to be comforting. Hermione sniffled a little, but didn't cry. She simply let him hold her; let him make every thing all better again. They sat silently for a moment, Hermione taking in the comfort Draco was providing.  
  
"Remember when you said that it was as if there was a conspiracy against us and I said that it would just get worse? I think I jinxed it or something; I didn't expect it to be this much worse," she said calmly, once again displaying emotion foreign to the situation. "I'm sorry, Ace. Everything we do, I seem to mess it up. Reif tonight, my mother at Christmas, myself at your house, it was my fault you got detention, I overreacted when we went flying, everything about Percy was my fault, the peanuts, my telepathy, your dreams, Snape... I can't seem to get through a whole damn day without doing something wrong," she said, sounding drained.  
  
"Hey, no... Hermione," Draco said, pulling back to look at her. "Listen to me, alright?" he said, but Hermione kept her head down. Draco smiled and lifted her chin gently. "Hey. Okay?" Hermione smiled and nodded slightly. "Flagg is an ass, and that's not your fault. Believe me, he was an ass before he even met you. The same thing goes for Percy and Snape. None of that had anything to do with you. What happened at my house was my fault and I'm sorry. Detention was Snape, the peanuts were an accident, the telepathy was Pomfrey, and my dreams are just something that happens sometimes. The flying was my fault as well. You had every right to be angry. You are totally innocent in all of this, love. The only thing you did was piss off Fate, and, because of that one mistake, he surrounded you with gits. Alright? Say that it's not your fault," Draco said comfortingly and Hermione smiled.  
  
"It's not my fault," she agreed and Draco smiled.  
  
"Damn straight. Let's go home, alright?" he suggested and she nodded, standing up.  
  
"Okay," she said, wiping her already dry eyes. Draco stood and picked the bag from the ground, then turned his blanket back into a glove. Hermione smiled and lifted the black piece of cloth from the bench, giggling as she turned back to Draco, who was hastily attempting to remove her feminine hand-wear from his appendage. He stopped as he heard her and looked up, smiling.  
  
"There's my Mia," he said and Hermione smiled again as she assisted him with the removal of one, frilly, pink and tiny mitten, which seemed to cause him so much discomfort.  
  
A/N: I know, I'm an arsehole. I apologize. 


	46. Red Dragon

Disclaimer: YOU MINIATURE BEAST OF... plagerism. :o). ~*I am the plagerism fairy! Disclaimers are my mortal enemy! Well... that and JK Rowling!*~  
  
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CHAPTER FORTY SIX: Red Dragon  
  
Once the gloves were switched and a thank you kiss exchanged, Draco led Hermione down the stairs, holding a hand protectively against the small of her back. She looked around the stadium, which was more than half empty. Quite a few people still remained resting before a tiring journey home. Curiously, Hermione turned to Draco.  
  
"You know, Draco, we don't have to leave right away. Reif isn't coming back, you can rest a while if you want to. I don't mind. I was reading one of your apparation packets and it said that some people experience severe exhaustion after apparating, especially if it's double," she said worriedly, causing Draco to smile and give her a quick kiss.  
  
"That's sweet of you, love, but think about it; I'm not one of those people," he said, smiling. Hermione playfully rolled her eyes.  
  
"Is this another Malfoys-have-no-weakness things?" she asked suspiciously and Draco laughed.  
  
"No, this is one of those look-at-the-facts-and-it's-obvious things. I apparated you... I don't even know how many thousands of miles, then back, then about three hundred to my house, then six back to the castle and still had enough energy to grope you. I think I'll be alright," he reminded her and Hermione looked thoughtful.  
  
"I never thought of it that way," she said, then paused. "And would you stop beating yourself up about that? I think we've more than made up for whatever we couldn't do that night, so just get over it, okay? I hate it when you're all 'everything is my fault and I hate me.'" Hermione tied her arms around him and squeezed Draco tight.  
  
"Aren't we being a bit hypocritical?" he asked with a smirk and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No. Even if you won't admit it, if it weren't for me, none of that stuff would have happened. Reif, Zane, and Snape were after ME. *I* misunderstood your intentions in your garden and when we were flying. *I* was too dense to notice the sick infatuation with me held by the older brother of my best friend, which in turn caused your dreams. *I* used my telepathy to piss you off... and *I* gave you that sandwich. If I were someone else... say, Ginny, none of that would have happened." Draco groaned.  
  
"Mia, must we fight about this? I already told you; you're a goddess surrounded by gits. It's illogical to blame all that on you. Yes, if you were Ginny most of that wouldn't have happened, but there would have been just as many problems, if not more." Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I guess..." Draco kissed the top of her head and walked in silence for a few minutes. As much as he tried to put the previous events out of his mind, Flagg's words kept repeating in his head ** She was a good shag, too. Much better than Muddy here...**. Had Hermione really slept with him? Draco wondered why she hadn't said anything about it before... when she'd told him about Zane. When Hermione reached up to place a gentle kiss on his cheek, Draco opened his mouth, and made a big mistake.  
  
"Did you sleep with Flagg?" Hermione stopped abruptly, eyes a little wide. "Damn..." he whispered. "I'm sorry; pretend I didn't say that."  
  
"No, it's okay. You deserve to know, really..." She took a breath. "Yes, it is quite possible that I slept with Reif. Or I slept and he fucked me. I don't really remember... I know Zane did, and Reif was there... but I passed out before they left. Anything could have happened."  
  
"Hermione, I..." Draco started, but she shook her head.  
  
"How do you know him?" Draco frowned.  
  
"He's a death eater... Lucius let him... 'visit' with my mother... on several occasions." Hermione looked grave. She could only imagine the torment that poor woman had had to endure... what she'd gotten was nothing. Zane wasn't even a wizard... she shuddered.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Draco," she whispered and Draco kissed her head. "Can we talk about something else?"  
  
"Most definitely."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hermione, love, you've been cleaning for three hours and, as much as I love you, I have to say that it's getting quite annoying. You're not even using magic; is there a reason for this madness?" asked Draco as he leaned against the doorway of her room. Hermione emerged from below her bed, face flushed and bun messy, small pieces of lint caught in her hair and clothes.  
  
"What? It's only been three hours? Ugh!" she said, flopping down on her crimson berth. "I cleaned my room, messed it up again, then cleaned it a second time and it's only been three hours?"  
  
"Alright, now I'm definitely confused. Why would you do that?" Draco asked her, looking as he claimed to be. Hermione sat up.  
  
"Because; everyone comes back tomorrow, and I'm restless... and excited... and nervous... and..."  
  
"Scared?" Draco provided and Hermione hesitated before nodding slowly.  
  
"But I don't know why, because it doesn't matter, I don't care," she added, sounding as if she were trying to convince herself more than him.  
  
"Yes you do, and so do I. It's okay to care, Mia," Draco told her and Hermione nodded again, wringing her hands. Slowly she began rocking back and forth.  
  
"But nothing's going to change, right? I don't want anything to change, Draco," she said and Draco sighed, straightening and moving toward the bed.  
  
"Mia, I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I think we both know that it's not true," he said softly as he sat down. Hermione closed her eyes sadly, but Draco smiled and lifted her chin. "But that's not necessarily bad. For everything to be the same, you'd have to go back to hating me, Harry and Ron will go back to being complete gits, and Snape will be potions master again. Is that what you want?" he said and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, of course not. I don't want us to change, Draco. What we've made this summer... I don't want to lose that... I can't lose that," she said, her voice growing quiet. Draco laughed.  
  
"Is that what you're worried about? Mia, I still love you, you know. Just because there are a few more people in the room, it doesn't mean I feel any less," he told her and Hermione looked up.  
  
"Promise?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"Mia, you're so innocent; it's adorable," he said, causing Hermione to smile, then kissed her softly. "I promise." Draco opened his arms and Hermione smiled, accepting his embrace. There was a happy silence for a moment, but Hermione broke it by speaking something unexpected.  
  
"Can I clean your room?" Draco laughed.  
  
"What?" Hermione pulled back and slid off the bed, onto her knees.  
  
"Please? I can't do mine again, I'll explode, but I'll freak if I try to sit still. Please, Ace? That disaster area will take me three hours in itself. Please?" Hermione begged on her knees to an amusedly smirking Draco.  
  
"You sound like my mother.... except for that whole begging to clean my room thing." Hermione stuck out her lip and Draco sighed. "That room is as much yours as mine anymore, Mia. If it will make you feel better, you can do whatever the hell you want to it," he said and Hermione smiled widely.  
  
"So that means I can redecorate in colors which will match those mittens of mine you love so much?" she asked sweetly and Draco looked horrified.  
  
"I take that back; let me rephrase. You can do whatever you want to my room as long as there is no physical changing of any of my stuff. Agreed?" he asked and Hermione giggled.  
  
"Alright, agreed," she said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Go ahead, then," he said and Hermione squealed. She stood, gave him a very nice goodbye kiss, and ran out her door on a course for his room. Draco shook his head at her and stood to go back to the common room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco had been reading in the common room, scolding whatever told him to agree to let Hermione wreak havoc on his room, for the last two hours. Periodically, a noise from behind the closed door would cause him to look up, but the amused giggles of one Hermione Granger allowed him to smile and look back down.  
  
Fifteen minutes after they would normally have left for dinner, Hermione finally opened the door. Draco looked up with a smile and Hermione giggled. She was now wearing a black bandana to hold back her hair, red shorts, and...  
  
"Is that my shirt?" he asked suspiciously and Hermione looked quickly to her clothing, then nodded with a grin.  
  
"I liked it and I didn't want to lose it," she explained and Draco shook his head.  
  
"But it's okay to lose it if you don't like it?"  
  
"Yeah, but don't worry; I stuck to our deal. Everything is intact, and accounted for, just because I'm nice," she said, sauntering toward him with her hands behind her back. The shirt she had infiltrated was a dark gray and bore a Chinese red dragon on the front, which normally breathed pictured fire, but it had gotten annoying and Hermione stopped it with a charm.  
  
"Gee, thanks. So, have you gotten this attack of my mother thing out of your system yet?" Draco asked and she laughed.  
  
"Not really, but I'm hungry and I'm finished, so I guess I'll take a break. Oh," she said, interrupting herself with a giggle. "Dumbledore called. He wants to meet us after dinner," she told him and Draco laughed.  
  
"What did he say about you being in my room?"  
  
"Nothing, really, except that he needed to make some arrangements about something. Anyway, are you coming or not?" she asked impatiently and Draco put down his book.  
  
"Yes, yes... I'm coming."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You wanted to see us, Professor?" Hermione asked as they entered Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Oh, yes, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy. Please, have a seat; I wish to speak with you about your training," he explained and the Head Boy and Girl shared a look before moving to sit in the conference chairs. "I assume you've both looked through the information I have provided?" Dumbledore asked, leaning forward and smiling. Both teens groaned.  
  
"Extensively," Draco informed him and Hermione nodded in agreement.  
  
"Very well. Your schedules have all of your training classes already marked out. Miss Granger, you will be trained by Professor McGonagall and will sit in on her classes. Mr. Malfoy, you will do the same with Madam Hooch. Do you have any questions?" Draco looked at Hermione.  
  
"Don't look at me, you're the one who wouldn't let me finish that list, and now I can't remember any of them," she said amusedly and Draco turned back to Dumbledore and shrugged.  
  
"I guess not, Professor," he said and Dumbledore laughed.  
  
"Alright. Come with me, if you will, and I will show you some landmarks you'll be visiting rather frequently," he said and stood, walking toward the door. Draco and Hermione quickly followed behind, allowing the headmaster to lead them wherever he wished.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The trio walked through many a corridor, showing no intention of slowing, and Draco was getting impatient.  
  
"Where do you think we're going? He asked Hermione in a whisper, letting his palm brush against hers. She smiled.  
  
"I don't know, but I hope we get there soon. If we're supposed to be going to this place all the time, it'd be nice if it wasn't twenty miles from the common room," Hermione answered, taking his hand and quietly kissing his cheek. Draco nodded in agreement just as Dumbledore stopped and turned around, wearing his trademark twinkles behind those iron frames.  
  
"Miss Granger, this will be your classroom for next fall's semester," Dumbledore told them, turning to open the door behind him. Hermione's eyes widened as she looked past him and into a circular room with windows for walls, half of which were covered with shelves of books. The room was devoid of all furniture except a large empty desk and a portable blackboard.  
  
"Wow," she said in awe, stepping through the door and gently pulling Draco behind her. Hermione walked around the outside of the room, looking at and trying to take in everything.  
  
"Will this suffice, Miss Granger?" the headmaster asked and Hermione nodded enthusiastically, not speaking as she continued to pull a grinning Draco about the large room. "Good, good. Come now; I will allow you to return later if you wish," he said and turned down the hall again. Hermione blinked and backed slowly toward the doorway, her eyes still taking in her surroundings. Draco smiled, amused at her expression, and followed her back out into the hall. A kiss brought her back to reality and Hermione smiled at Draco before pulling him to catch up with Dumbledore.  
  
"Well," she said with a big grin. "Now we know where we're going." Draco laughed.  
  
"That's very true," he said and gave her a happy kiss. Draco couldn't help but be a little excited. Chances are, next stop would be his classroom. Hermione seemed fairly intrigued as well; she kept looking up at him and smiling, radiating happiness as she energetically walked along the corridor. Then, just down the hall and around the corner, Dumbledore stopped again.  
  
"As you may have expected, Mr. Malfoy, this will be your classroom." He said and again opened the door. Inside was more like a lounge than a room for teaching. There was one large table surrounded by eight chairs, a filing cabinet, and a chalkboard, but the rest of the classroom was decoratively furnished with couches and chairs, paintings, and tapestries. In the center of one of the walls was a wooden door and Draco looked at it curiously.  
  
"Professor," he asked as Hermione went about exploring his room in a similar fashion to her own. "Where does that door lead to?"  
  
"Ah," said Dumbledore. "This, Mr. Malfoy, is how you will be teaching your students. Once they know the basics, simply lead the students into this room," he said, opening the door. Inside was a very unwelcoming room with gray stonewalls and a hard cement floor. There were no windows, simply a torch and a mirror to reflect it. "Not the most favorable of habitats, but this helps with motivation. If the student does not want to be where they are, it is more probably that they will leave."  
  
Draco nodded and stepped into the room, looking alertly at everything. Hermione, who had not liked the look of things on the other side, stayed behind. Dumbledore smiled as he slammed the door shut behind the Slytherin. Hermione gasped slightly at the sound and raised a hand to her mouth, watching the door intently. She wanted her Draco back out of there; she didn't trust that room.  
  
"Boo!" said a voice from behind her and Hermione jumped severely, then turned to see a laughing Draco as the voice's owner. She playfully pushed his chest.  
  
"Draco! You could have used the door like a normal person, but no; never miss an opportunity to scare me half to death!" she scolded and Draco smiled at her.  
  
"Sorry, Mia," he said and quickly kissed behind her ear. "I would have used the door, but there wasn't one... which is wonderful, by the way, Professor. Adds to the uncomfortable atmosphere. Perfect."  
  
"I agree, Mr. Malfoy. The door does indeed disappear as it is closed and can only be reopened from the outside," said Dumbledore proudly.  
  
"Isn't that a bit dangerous, sir? I could name a few sixth years I wouldn't put it past to lock in some of the younger students," Hermione pointed out and Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"That has already been taken care of, Miss Granger. If a person is in that room for more than ten minutes and is nervous or scared, this wall will temporarily disappear, allowing the person to simply walk back into this room," he told her and she nodded.  
  
"Professor," said Draco, "Wasn't that a two way mirror in there?"  
  
"Indeed it was, Mr. Malfoy. Astute observation." Dumbledore took a step forward and Hermione and Draco moved to the side to let him pass. The headmaster stopped in front of a medium sized paining of an ocean, just to the side of the door, and pulled on the left rim of the frame. The painting opened to reveal a window into the apparation chamber. "For safety purposes. If a student faints, they won't feel the needed emotions and the wall will not open."  
  
A strange sound was heard from the far corner of the room and all three heads turned to face it. Hermione laughed. There, on the wall, was a classic Felix the cat clock, complete with tail pendulum and moving eyes. The strange purring signaled the arrival of eight o'clock.  
  
"Oh," said Dumbledore as he closed the painting. "I must be going; I'll be late for my meeting with Professor McGonagall. If you wish to explore, be my guest and do have fun. Behind that tapestry is the door to your common room. You will find a similar one in your classroom, Miss Granger. I shall see you both tomorrow," he said and left through the door before they could say anything.  
  
Draco turned to Hermione, who was looking through the once again open painting and into the chamber. She shook her head.  
  
"That little room creeps me out," she said and Draco nodded.  
  
"It's supposed to. When you're just learning, it helps to feel some strong emotion; fear and frustration are the easiest to conjure. It's alright, love, there really isn't anything to be afraid of," he said, coming up behind her and brushing his cheek against her temple. Hermione smiled and leaned back into him slightly, closing her eyes as his arms encircled her. The two stayed that way, both quite comfortable, for a moment, then Draco kissed the end of her jawbone and pulled away, taking her hand and stepping toward the door. Hermione opened her eyes, but kept her smile.  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked contentedly, moving to follow him.  
  
"You're classroom, of course. You think I'd give up a perfectly good opportunity to decorate a room just to hang out in a creepy little cell? Right," he said and rolled his eyes, then smiled and kissed her. Hermione laughed and followed him down the hall.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Alright, Mr. Martha Steward, what do you plan on changing? The only wall not a window is covered in books, which will not change, mind you. I need those books; I am teaching literature, after all," Hermioen said as they stood in her classroom, surveying the scene.  
  
"Well, you need desks," Draco said, but Hermione shook her head and pointed to the crate next to her desk which was labled 'LapDesk cnt. 25'. "Okay, so you're going to make your kids sit on the floor? You'll be the chiropractor's favorite professor," he said smartly and Hermione sighed.  
  
"No, of course not. I need something to transfigure, then. Maybe I should go get some rocks or something," she suggested, looking out the window at the greenhouses.  
  
"Mia, if you make an apple out of a teacup, it's going to taste like a teacup. If you make a chari out of a rock, it's going to feel like a rock."  
  
"Fine, so I need something softer, then," she said, thinking for a moment, then her mouth turned up into a smirk, eyes glittering at Draco.  
  
"I don't like that look," he said nervously and Hermione lifted her hand. "What are you doing?" She didn't answer, but flicked her hand, then held out her palm. "Ow...ow...ow..."Draco said as, one by one, twenty five hairs jumped from his head and into Hermione's hand. "Now that was just plain cruel," he said sourly and rubbed his scalp. Hermione gave him a pouty look, then threw the hairs into the air, flicking her hand and arranging them on the floor. With a few more finger flicks, each of Draco's hairs sprouted into a silvery and quite comfortable looking chair.  
  
"There. Now I have nice soft chairs," she said happily.  
  
"Yeah," Draco said grouchily, "And I have a bald spot."  
  
"Oh, don't be such a baby. It was only twenty five hairs; you lose more than that in a day," Hermione said, moving the chairs into a circle with her hand.  
  
"Well, I will today. You could have used cat hair or something," he told her and Hermione smiled as she stepped closer.  
  
"Some people are allergic to cat hair," she said innocently as she drew her arms around his neck. Draco smiled and moved his lips a little closer.  
  
"What if someone's allergic to MY hair?" he asked smartly and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Then I pity them," she said. "I love your hair." Draco moved even closer, his lips almost touching hers as he spoke.  
  
"You could have just asked, you know. I would have given you all the hair you wanted," he whispered and Hermione giggled slightly.  
  
"Yes... but if I had done that, you wouldn't be so close to kissing me right now, would you?"  
  
"No, I suppose that's true," he agreed and Hermione closed her eyes, waiting for the warm an dfamiliar feel of his lips on hers. Draco, however, had other plans; he lifted his head away and stepped slightly backward. Hermione opened her eyes and knit her brow in confusion. Draco let out an amused laugh at her innocent and clueless pout. "Well, why should you be rewarded for stealing my second most prized possession?" Hermione blinked, then smiled, moving close again.  
  
"Just think of it as me making it up to you," she said suggestively and Draco playfully pushed her away again. "Do not attempt to defy me, grasshopper. You can not resist me; you will NOT win," she declared and Draco smiled.  
  
"Oh, really?" he asked and tuned toward the door. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"Draco!" she called, wining. The tall blonde laughed and turned back, swiftly sweeping Hermione into a passionate kiss.  
  
She had been expecting it, but this kiss startled her. It was different thant he warma nd happy kisss they usually shared; this kiss was cool and refreshing... energetic and amazing. The cosset of lips still held an element of style only possessed by Draco Malfoy; she knew she could be blindfolded in a room with a hundred men and know it was he who was kissing her. Hermione let out a small moan of both pleasure and surprise and leaned in, pushing her head up and wanting more. There was silence for a moment as they parted, but Hermione smirked and broke it.  
  
"I TOLD you," she said and he laughed, then kissed her again.  
  
"You're right, Circe. I can't resist you and you know it," he said, kissed the tip of her nose and turned back toward the door only to be anchored by the dainty hand in his.  
  
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked curiously and Draco smiled.  
  
"I'm going to go survey the damage done to our room; care to join me?"  
  
"Of course, but I want to use the tapestry. Number one reason; I have no idea how to get anywhere from here," she said and Draco nodded.  
  
"Right. I'd forgotten all about that," he said, then smiled. "I'm lucky to have such an ingenious little Gryffindor aournt to help me out, hm?" Hermione tried to keep a straight face, but the seductive smirk on Draco's lips caused her to gush giggles.  
  
"I'm not even going to pretend that that wasn't the corniest thing I've ever heard," she said and pulled him toward the tapestry.  
  
"Wait," Draco said as he followed her. "I though tyou like that stuff. If I had known you didn't, I wouldn't say half the things I do," he continued and Hermione spun to look at him.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously, her eyes searching his for something. Draco could tell she was on the brink of being hurt and his mind went haywire thinking of a way to get out of this.  
  
"Which doesn't mean tat any of it is untrue, simply that I wouldn't say it," he said with a winning smile and Hermione weakly replied with one of her own.  
  
"Yeah, sure. And I do like it... but that one was just terrible," she said and turned to move aside the tapestry. "You know, if I WAS Circe, I could turn you back into a ferret."  
  
"See if I ever eat your cooking again," Draco said and Hermione giggled, opened the door, and stepped into the common room.  
  
"Go ahead and check; I promise-nothing's pink," she swore and Draco smiled, then kissed her before leaving to check his assets. "And just so you know," Hermione said as she moved toward the bathroom. "I am NOT giving this shirt back," she finished, hugging the red dragon.  
  
"Yes you damn well will," Draco said playfully and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Make me." He stuck out his tongue.  
  
"Maybe later."  
  
.  
  
A/N: Sorry, I don't feel like doing PRFs. Oh, COME ON! It's only like the second time I've slacked off. Do you want another chapter or not? Geez. xoP 


	47. Promise of Tomorrow

Disclaimer: ::screams in heavy rock way; like Limp Bizkit:: Flames is not mine! I don't own Draco! JK is a freak! With copy...rights!  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN: A Promise of Tomorrow  
  
"So, Draco, what's your first most prized possession?" Hermione asked as she flounced into the common room and plopped next to him on the couch.  
  
"What?" he asked back with an amused laughed. He had declared that his room was satisfactory (in fact it was practically spotless) and was reading in the common room. Hermione smiled; she was still wearing his shirt and her shorts, but had now tied a knot just below the dragon, allowing the fabric to hold tight to her waist.  
  
"You told me that your hair was your second most prized possession. What's your first?" she repeated, crawling close, and Draco laughed.  
  
"Where did that come from?" Hermione looked thoughtful.  
  
"I don't know, but tell me; I'm curious," she begged and Draco paused a moment before swiftly moving close to her, his lips an inch from her ear.  
  
"You," he whispered and kissed her lobe. Hermione smiled and moved her hands to his shoulders.  
  
"I was hoping you might say that," she said happily and Draco smiled. Hermione pulled back and gave him a hard kiss. "I'm going to bed," she said and he nodded. "Just thought I'd tell you," she whispered, kissed him quickly again, and jumped from the couch, practically skipping toward their room. Draco watched her go, smiling silently at her excessive happiness. She closed the door half way after she passed through and Draco sighed as she moved out of his view. He turned back to his book, determined to know and understand all the components of Goblin Masquerade before allowing himself to join her.  
  
Draco quietly crept into his room an hour and a half later, wishing he had come in sooner. Hermione was asleep, still wearing his t-shirt, arms crossed under her head and over a book. Draco smiled and crept slowly into bed, so as not to disturb her. He pulled the book gently from beneath her head, bring it close and inspecting the cover. With a look of disgust, Draco reached over his sleeping lover and placed the book on the night table. Candelabra Cortex.  
  
Paying close attention to the sleeping girl beneath him, Draco leaned to blow out her candle, filling the room with an almost claming darkness. He relaxed back with a quiet sigh, lying on his back. Draco turned his head to Hermione with a smile. She was still asleep, but had moved a little in her repositioning. She still held one arm curled under her head, but the other had moved; she had placed her hand near her face and her fingertip against her teeth, looking innocent and adorable. Draco turned just enough to plant a feather-light kiss on her forehead, then relaxed again, taking one last look at Hermione before closing his eyes.  
  
"Draco..." she said in a dreamy trance just moments later and Draco opened one eye, seeing that her lids still hid her honey brown orbs and her fingertip still rested childishly against her bottom lip.  
  
"Shh, Hermione. Go back to sleep, love," he said soothingly and Hermione seemed to comply for a moment, then reached the tooth touching hand toward him.  
  
"No, I'm not tired... I want to play," she said, still sounding sleepy. "Romeo and... Paris... Juliet," she said, voice dying down as she fell back into slumber.  
  
"Tomorrow," Draco whispered, taking the offered hand and placing it to his chest, covering it lovingly with his own hands. He sighed and closed his eyes again. "Tomorrow."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draco woke alone the next day and silently cursed himself for ever agreeing to let her get up before him. It was disappointing not to wake up to her smiling and pretty face. Sighing, he closed his eyes again. The door to his room was partially open, letting the hushed sound of flowing water enter Draco's hearing system. **She's in the shower,** he concluded. **She hasn't been up long. I'll just wait here a few more minutes...** Draco thought, relaxing. After only a few minutes, he heard the fixtures squeak and the water stop, then the clicking of the frosted shower door as Hermione opened it. Draco smiled, imagining the scene in his head. Initially, his first thought was to smack himself, but Draco did no such thing. He folded his arms behind his head, crossed his ankles below the bed-sheets, and smirked. **She's my girlfriend; I can fantasize about her all I want. And, oh Merlin do I want...**  
  
The dirty thoughts of the head Slytherin were interrupted as the girl of his daydreams slipped back into the room. Draco remained still, pretending to be asleep as Hermione walked around to her side of the bed and began busying herself with some clothing that lie there.  
  
"Oh, please. Draco, you're even worse at faking than I am," she said with an amused smile and Draco grinned.  
  
"How do you know that? Have you ever seen a visual comparison of yourself asleep and yourself pretending to be asleep?"  
  
"No, but who cares. You're really bad, just so you know. When you're asleep, all the arrogance and worry leaves your face; you just look angelic and innocent. If you're faking, you look like you were time-frozen mid- blink," she said and Draco laughed, then opened his eyes. His chuckling stopped abruptly and he swallowed when he saw her. Hermione stood smiling before him, once again dressed in a towel, her damp hair birthing water streams down her shoulders and chest. "Is the gawking really necessary?" Hermione asked amusedly, smiling. Draco shook himself and grinning sheepishly.  
  
"Sorry, but when I wake up to the hottest girl in school standing in front of me wearing only a towel, I tend to get a little oggly," Draco said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"I would take that as a compliment, but considering the fact that the only other women in the school at the moment are McGonagall, Pomfrey, Sprout, Trelawney, Pince, and various owls... I'll have to think about it. And, sorry to disappoint you Ace, but I am in fact wearing everything I would normally wear, with the exception of a shirt. Reason? I left it in here," she said, picking up the crisp, wrinkle-free, red dragon t-shirt.  
  
"You're going to wear that again?" Draco asked and Hermione smiled, then shrugged.  
  
"I washed it," she informed him and Draco smiled.  
  
"Did I SAY you could wear my shirt?" he asked with a smile and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Nope," Hermione said, slipping the shirt over her head and wiggling out of her towel, displaying black flared jeans. "But that doesn't seem to be stopping me, does it?" she said smartly as she tied the bottom of her pilfered t-shirt in a knot as she had the day before. Draco smiled.  
  
"Evidently not," he agreed and Hermione giggled and crawled up onto the bed.  
  
"Good morning," she purred and Draco smiled as she came closer.  
  
"Good morning," he said back, but didn't move. Hermione happily glared and he laughed, then she leaned in for a good morning kiss.  
  
"I'm glad you're awake. You should get up soon anyway; it's after noon and I think we should go see Dumbledore before everyone gets here," she said, smiling at him, then moved to get back out of bed, but Draco pulled her back down. Hermione giggled and he locked his arms around her so she couldn't get away. "What are you doing?" she asked happily, but Draco said nothing and held her tight as he began to smother her with kisses. Hermione continued to giggle and gratefully let Draco continue. Soon, his lips returned to hers and the laughter ceased, being replaced by brief and happy moans. The kiss had hardly finished when Draco pulled back, grinning.  
  
"What were you saying?" he asked smartly and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I asked what you were doing, but I guess I got my answer, didn't I?" she said, smiling broadly as Draco moved close again.  
  
"I'm just making the best of our last few minutes of alone time, Mia. That's all," he whispered and kissed her forehead, causing Hermione to smile and close her eyes.  
  
"I love this," she said truthfully and Draco smiled.  
  
"Me too," he agreed and gave her another quick kiss. "So, what's this about Dumbledore?"  
  
"He didn't tell us to, but I think it would be responsible and, well, nice of us to see if we can help with anything. You know; get on his good side... then we might not get detention for slipping the first years," she explained with a smirk and Draco laughed.  
  
"Hermione, you she-devil. I was honestly kidding about that," he said and she shrugged, trying to look innocent.  
  
"I wasn't; I thought it was a good idea, but if you don't want to, we won't. You chicken," she said, then giggled.  
  
"What? How dare you call me chicken?!"  
  
"The same way you dare to call me she-devil, I suppose. Now, if it's not too much trouble, could I maybe breathe again?" Draco's face fell and he quickly pulled back, afraid he was hurting her. Hermione smiled and sat up, then Draco knitted his brows and looked at her.  
  
"I was barely touching you, Mia," he said and Hermione smiled before leaning close and bringing a hand to his hair.  
  
"I know, but it got you off me, didn't it?" she asked smartly and smirked before kissing him. Surprisingly, Draco pulled away, looking a tad bit hurt and angry. Hermione looked confused.  
  
"Yes," he agreed sourly. "That it did," he said and quickly moved to get out of bed and head to the bathroom. Hermione bit her lip, wondering where she had gone wrong. Nothing she said was meant to be offensive; she had been innocently teasing as she always had. Flopping back on the bed, she decided to wait for him to take a shower and hopefully cool off before she tried talking with him. Hermione sighed; this was not how she wanted this last day to play out.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Are you coming, love?" Draco asked from the doorway, not smiling as he normally would, but not looking particularly upset either. He had showered and dressed and now was quite ready for whatever Dumbledore asked. Hermione still lay on the bed, listening to his moving around the common room, planning on waiting for him to leave, then chasing after. His question surprised her, but she nodded and got out of bed, following Draco to the portrait hole.  
  
"Draco, are you mad at me?" she asked quietly as they walked down the hall.  
  
"A little," he replied and Hermione looked sadly to the floor.  
  
"Then why did you call me..."  
  
"Love? Mia, just because I'm slightly upset with you, it doesn't mean I don't still love you," he told her and Hermione looked relieved. She couldn't think of a more prefect thing for him to have said. If he had brushed it off as habit, she would have turned around and ran back to her room, locking the door behind her.  
  
"Why are you mad?" she asked sadly, crossing her arms and hugging the red dragon.  
  
"I don't know, exactly. It has something to do with all these little tests you put me through without my knowing. You lead me in one direction, knowing exactly what I'm thinking, then spin it totally around and tell me the truth. SO far I've said the right things, but someday my malignity will shine through and I'll say something totally opposite of what you want, and you'll be disappointed. Do you realize how mad I should have been when you practically spelled out b-a-b-y, then waited for me to pledge my undying servitude before informing me that you were in fact not pregnant? I was too damned relieved to do much of anything but thank God I hadn't done that to you.  
  
"This little argument we just had wasn't much, I'll admit, and would in itself have been brushed off, had it not reminded me of that previous conversation. I just want you to ASK me all these things and trust that I'll give you the most honest answer I can, which I will. When you trick me into being honest, it's like you don't trust me to do so otherwise, and that hurts... a little," Draco said and Hermione nodded sadly at the floor, closing her eyes and hugging her dragon tight.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking a tiny fraction.  
  
"Don't cry, Mia; I'm not that angry. I don't want to make you cry," he said urgently and placed his hand on the small of her back.  
  
"No. I didn't even realize... you're absolutely right. I can't believe I didn't even notice how cruel I was being. I'm sorry, Ace... honestly, I am. I won't do it again, I won't," she promised, looking up at him. Draco smiled and gently kissed her.  
  
"I know. That's enough of this; get all happy again before someone suspects that I've been torturing you or something." Hermione laughed and nodded, wiping her eyes. "I love you," Draco whispered and Hermione smiled.  
  
"I love you too," she mouthed, but the words were inaudible. Draco heard.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Professor Dumbledore!" Draco called after a few moments of silence and looked down at Hermione. "Come on," he said and they ran after the professor, who had stopped and was waiting for them outside the great hall doors.  
  
"Yes? Can I help you with something?" he asked kindly with a smile, Hermione smiled too.  
  
"Actually, Professor, we were hoping we could help you with something," she told him and the old man grinned proudly.  
  
"Why thank you, children. Actually, I could use a little help; I need someone to retrieve the sorting hat and stool form my office, and later sort the students; Minerva isn't feeling well this morning and will be staying in bed until at least tomorrow afternoon. No need to worry; she will be quite all right.  
  
"Also, it would be helpful if someone would meet the train and assure that everyone makes it successfully into a carriage. Hagrid will take care of the first years. Thank you, children. Your help is greatly appreciated," he told them and quickly made his way down the hall once more. Hermione and Draco looked at each other, then Draco sighed.  
  
"Why don't you meet your friends at the station, Mia? I'll sort everyone and you can have a few minutes to talk with them before Dumbledore makes you come sit next to me," Draco suggested and Hermione smiled.  
  
"You say that as if it's punishment," she said and he shrugged.  
  
"Isn't it?" She kissed him quickly.  
  
"Are you sure? Don't you want to meet everybody?"  
  
"You're my everybody and I'll get to meet you soon enough. Just go have fun without me and stop arguing," Draco said and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Okay, okay. I'll see you later then?" she asked and he smiled.  
  
"Of course," Draco said and kissed her softly. Hermione enjoyed this while it lasted, then looked down.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said again, but he stopped her.  
  
"Go, Mia. Forget about this," he said, kissed her once more, and sped off toward Dumbledore's office.  
  
Hermione sighed and happily turned toward the main doors. She threw them open and stepped outside, smiling as a very cold burst of air tossed her hair. She seemed to have forgotten that it was mid-winter, but didn't act like she cared. Hermione took a breath, then shot off down the great stone steps and onto the path to Hogsmeade, for the first time in a month without Draco. She ran as fast as her white sneakers would carry her over the icy path and didn't stop until she reached the gates to the town. Breathing hard, Hermione held a hand to her stomach and walked slowly to the train station.  
  
The express wasn't due for at least another hour, there was no need to run, but Hermione felt better doing so. She walked slowly into the station, noting that the carriages were already waiting, and stopped as she made it to the platform near the tracks. Looking around, Hermione noticed a large brown lump with legs seated at one of the benches, a tangled mass of dark brown hair on his head and a waterfall sprouting from below his chubby cheeks. There was only one identity that could belong to this thumb twiddling man; Hermione would know him anywhere.  
  
"Hagrid!" she shouted happily and the man turned to her in slight surprise.  
  
"'Ermione?" he asked and she nodded excitedly. "Oh! Come 'ere, you!" Hagrid called with a grin, opening his arms to her. Hermione giggled and threw herself into the embrace, receiving a tight bear hug. "I 'aven't seen you in weeks, Miss 'ead Girl," Hagrid said and released her. Hermione sad down and began to explain.  
  
"Sorry, Hagrid, but I've been quite busy. We've been studying for the big exam, running errands for Dumbledore, hording off evil..." Hermione listed, but her burly friend cut her off.  
  
"Kissin' on brooms?" he asked suspiciously, lifting his eyebrows. Hermione turned scarlet.  
  
"You saw that? I forget that your hut faces the pitch," she said, obviously embarrassed. Hagrid narrowed his eyes at nothing and nodded.  
  
"I don' trust that boyfriend of yours, 'Ermione. Malfoy means trouble," he warned and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Oh, Hagrid, you're just still sore about the baby Norbert incident. Draco's different now," she said and the teacher nodded.  
  
"Which is plenty reason ta be sore. People like that never change," he said disgustedly. Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Of course they do. Harry and Ron are giving hi a second chance; they're practically friends," she argued softly and Hagrid shook his head.  
  
"'Arry and Ron? Friends with Malfoy? Never," he said, but didn't look entirely unconvinced.  
  
"You'd be surprised. I think I remember someone saying 'Hermione? In love with Malfoy? Never.' And we see how that prophecy played out." Hagrid scowled.  
  
"Yer not in love, 'Ermione. Lust, maybe, but not love. There is no such ting'," he told her and Hermione looked surprised.  
  
"Hagrid, how can you say such a thing? You can't possibly believe that," she said disbelievingly and the giant's eyes softened.  
  
"No, yer right... I don'. But you do not love Malfoy and he does not love you. He is incapable of such feelins. This will only end in pain." Hermione looked to the ground.  
  
"There wa a time when I thought the same way... but he's so different now, Hagrid." The large man shook his head. "No, he is. Think about it. Draco's done so many things we would never have thought him capable of. He saved my life, more than once in my opinion. That is one of the most un-Malfoy like things anyone could possibly do, and he did it," she told him, and Hagrid suddenly looked grave.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Mione. I 'eard about Percy," he said and Hermione leaned back on the bench and closed her eyes.  
  
"It's okay, Hagrid. That was quite a while ago; I'm fine. A lot has happened since then," she said quietly, then paused before speaking up. "Did you hear about Snape?"  
  
"Ay," Hagrid said, glaring ahead. "Never did trust that man, much."  
  
"Did anyone," Hermione asked sarcastically and Hagrid nodded.  
  
"Dumbledore did. Surprising, though; 'e's usually such a good judge of character. He believed me, after all," he said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"And he believes Draco," she said.  
  
"It doesn't matter. You are not in love, 'Arry and Ron 'aven't befriended 'im, and Malfoy 'asn't changed," the large Professor insisted and Hermione groaned.  
  
"Oh, Hagrid, why is this so hard to come to terms with? You'll see when the boys get here; they really are friends. You should have seen them when Harry snuck into the castle; him and Draco were laughing and joking about Snape, and poking fun at me just like Harry does with Ron. It was like they were meant to be that way from square one.  
  
"And when we're alone, he's so different. He cares about me; what I'm feeling and what I think. If something's wrong, he just knows; I don't have to straight out tell him. No matter what he's doing, Draco will stop right in the middle and listen if I need to talk. I've told him things I could never tell anyone else, and I know he won't tell... and he'll try to help and comfort me if he can. He makes me feel... special, like I deserve to be looked after and protected, and he does that. He loves me, Hagrid. You're wrong. I know he does, and I love him more than anything. I can't even explain it... I just... know. It's so perfect..." Hermione said to the stalwart Care of Magical Creatures Professor, who simply stared at her as she spoke. Thinking about Draco, Hermione smiled and hugged the red dragon. "Listen to me, babbling on. I'm sure you don't care about any of this. I'm sorry, I've just never said all that out loud before..." Not knowing what to say in such a delicate situation, Hagrid changed the subject.  
  
"Are you cold, Mione? Do you want my jacket?" he asked politely and Hermione smiled, but shook her head.  
  
"I am cold, but I've got it," she said, holding up her hand and waiting for her coat. It took a little longer because she was so far from the castle. "Oh," she said as it appeared. "This is Draco's... I hope he wasn't wearing it," she said and draped the cloak around her shoulders, Slytherin crest showing proudly.  
  
"'Ermione! How in bloody blazes did you do that?" Hermione paled.  
  
"Oops... I didn't use my wand, did I?" Hagrid shook his head. "No, of course not. I don't even have my wand... I'm not even 100% sure where my wand is. Oh, please don't tell anyone, Hagrid! I promised Draco it'd be just between us," she begged and Hagrid looked surprised.  
  
"Malfoy can do that too?!" She nodded.  
  
"He taught me, sort of. We learned it together. It's come in handy a few times," she explained and Hagrid looked stern.  
  
"I should tell Dumbledore," he said and Hermione looked scared. "But I won't. You've kept my 'wandless' magic a secret; I'll keep yours." Hermione squealed.  
  
"Oh, thank you, Hagrid!" she cried and kissed his rosy cheek, which then became rosier. Happy, warm, and satisfied, Hermione settled back down on the bench and pulled her arms through the sleeves of Draco's cloak.  
  
"Yer not really going to wear that, are you?" Hagrid asked in a whisper, although there was no one else there, and Hermione looked up at him with knitted brows.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It's a SLYTHERIN cloak... what will the Gryffindor think?"  
  
" 'Oh how lucky is she to be wearing Draco Malfoy's cloak'?" Hermione suggested, but Hagrid didn't look phased. "Everyone already knows, Hagrid. Draco and I went to Gulden's Park on New Year's Eve and were caught by the gling man at midnight. The Patil's are a pretty well to do wizarding family. This means Padma and Parvarti know, they owl Lavender Brown, poof, all of Gryffindor knows. Slowly it spreads through Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, then seeps into Slytherin simply because a story like this will be begging to be retold. The only thing I'm worried about is that, because this rumor will be modified, half the school will think we're engaged, expecting, being black-mailed, god knows what else... Over vacation is the worst time to start a rumor," she explained, hugging the dragon again.  
  
"Yes, that's quite possible, isn't it?" Hagrid asked, laughing and Hermione joined in. she shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Yes, but even if that happens, I don't really care. Let them think what they want," she told him just as the train whistle sounded. Both Hermione and Hagrid looked down the tracks to see the large scarlet train make it around the last bed and onto the straight route to the station. Hermione stood up and squealed. "They're here! I've never been on this side of a train arrival before!" she said, giggling and excited.  
  
"Calm down, there, 'Ermione! It'll still be there in ten minutes," Hagrid laughed and Hermione continued her giggles.  
  
"I'm just so excited!"  
  
The train took hit's time coming into the station, much to the disappointment of Hermione, who had sat down and was tapping her feet impatiently. When the train finally did stop and the doors opened, she jumped up and hurried to the end of the train, assuming her two friends would ride in their usual compartment. The boys stepped off the train, talking and laughing, not even noticing the hyperactive head girl who was looking straight at them. 


	48. Author Note

Wow. This is the first time I've ever done an author's note. I feel so special! Lol. Okay guys, unfortunately, I have some bad news. I'm going on sabbatical. Before you freak out, it's not a STRICT sabbatical... and it will only last until May 19, which is next Monday. I'm sorry, but I REALLY have to get this term paper done. Now, let me explain this to you a little bit.  
  
In reality, not a whole lot is going to change. If you noticed, before Spring Break, I had a steady flow of updates, then SB was like overflow, and now after, you're lucky if you get one a week. I apologize. It's this damn testing system. And I live in NY, so we have Regents' over the summer... which are big important tests that I need to graduate... so I must study. Study is bad... but I must do it. However, I will still work on my ffs in my free time, I'm just warning that there won't be much of it. With less than 25 days left of school, I'm swamped. So in reality, I guess it's not a sabbatical so much as a warning.  
  
For the readers of both MPES and LGG, I do have another chapter I can post, however, if I do, I'll be run dry... which means it could take a little longer to get the NEXT one out, considering I need to work up my stock pile. If you want one more full chapter before I 'leave' review and tell me so. Otherwise, review and tell me not. I'll count and post accordingly.  
  
To the readers of Flames, first, let me once again say that I'm sorry! And, unlike everyone else, I do not have the next chapter for you. I have it written, as well as the REST OF THE STORY! (Yep, that's right. I know the ending! Don't expect much... I just wanted to get it over with) But I need to get them typed up and proofread. I promise I will have the next chapter on May 19. I give you my word. Again, I'm sorry.  
  
So here we go, I'm leaving. Well, not LEAVING, just putting ff to the side. Oh, let me lastly state that I AM IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM GOING TO STOP WRITING! Again, I'm sorry everyone... but I'm not the only author to do this. And hey, I could leave until summer... would you like THAT? A whole month with no PassionPolice? :oD  
  
Until next time, my friends, I bid you adieu. Adieu.  
  
~Mandy (PassionPolice237) 


	49. Jitters

Disclaimer: It's been so long since I've written this, I can't remember who owns it. I JJJust KKKnow it isn't RRReally mine.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT: Jitters  
  
"Harry, Ron!" she called, causing the two seventh years to look up just in time to be knocked back by their friend.  
  
"Gee, Hermione, it's nice to see you too," Ron said as she squeezed him. Hermione giggled and let go, moving on to her other friend, who lost the amused smile on his face. Now Ron smirked as Harry wheezed in her grasp.  
  
"I missed you guys," she said and they both smiled.  
  
"We missed you too," Harry said, then looked at Ron, who smirked.  
  
"Hermione sandwich?" he suggested and Hermione looked horrified.  
  
"No!" she said, but Harry smirked and nodded once.  
  
"Hermione sandwich," he agreed and she shrieked, trying to run away, but Harry and Ron were ready and caught her between them, squeezing her from both sides.  
  
"Eee! Let me go!" she cried and her friends laughed. Ron pulled away first.  
  
"We better listen, Harry. Her BOYFRIEND might get jealous," he said and mockingly batted his eyelashes.  
  
"Shut up!" Hermione said, laughing and gasping for breath. Harry laughed.  
  
"You're probably right, Ron. Where is lover boy, anyway?" he asked and Hermione scowled.  
  
"He's with Dumbledore; Draco's going to sort the first years," she told them sourly, but then smiled. Ron, however, dropped his grin.  
  
"He left you alone?" he asked and Hermione glared.  
  
"I can't believe you'd even acknowledge that, Ron! I am perfectly capable of sitting in a train station by myself, although, if you must know, Hagrid was here. No reason to get angry," she scolded, crossing her arms. Ron smirked.  
  
"Not angry, just surprised," he said and she playfully hit his arm. Harry laughed.  
  
"Why aren't you with him, then?" he asked as they began slowly toward the carriages.  
  
"Despite what he may sometimes think, Draco is not the only person in the world. I wanted to come meet my two best friends after not seeing them in forever, but I see how much I'm appreciated," Hermione said with a smile and her friends both smirked.  
  
"But Hermione, you saw me a week ago," Ron reminded her and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yes, I quite remember that."  
  
"And we saw you two days ago," Harry added and Hermione blushed, turning her eyes away.  
  
"So you were watching; Draco said you might have been. You didn't, by any chance, tell Parvarti or Lavender, did you?" she asked and they laughed.  
  
"No, but Lav owled us with the news not ten minutes later," Ron said and she smiled.  
  
"Any idea how distorted the story has become?"  
  
"I've heard everything between 'It was a joke' to 'Lucius is back from the dead and forcing them to get married, because Hermione is pregnant with Voldemort's heir.'" Harry explained, shaking his head in amusement. Hermione groaned.  
  
"It's worse than I thought; is it just me, or does that make absolutely no sense?"  
  
"That makes absolutely no sense," Ron agreed.  
  
"Both Voldemort and Lucius are long gone dead, I am no where near pregnant, and even if I was, I would abort it before I let it become the heir to the dark throne. Anyway, how were your holidays?" Harry and Ron laughed.  
  
"Alright, and yours?" asked Harry, causing Hermione to groan again.  
  
"Not so good..." she complained, sparking the boys' curiosity.  
  
"Well? Do tell," Ron urged and Hermione sighed.  
  
"It got a little boring just sitting around on Christmas, so I took Draco to my house. Every-"  
  
"Hey!" Ron interrupted. "We've never been to your house!"  
  
"Well you never asked to come, now, did you? Anyway, we were playing pool with my friend Thisbe and my parents just showed up. They weren't supposed to come home until yesterday but, low and behold, there they were. In the process of devising a plan of escape, we told Thisbe about magic-folk. My mom flipped; I think she's afraid someone will break down the door and kill us all or something. Worst of it was, she sort-of blamed it on Draco, even though he didn't do anything, and went into 'I hate everyone except muggles' mode... and threw him out. Talk about embarrassing... and scary as hell. I've never seen her that angry." Ron was looking thoughtful, but Harry was suppressing giggles. "What's so funny?" Hermione asked with a smile.  
  
"I'm trying to imagine your tiny, frail little mother throwing Malfoy out of your house," he explained. "It's surprisingly not hard..." Ron snickered and Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Honestly," she whispered and they laughed.  
  
"Well," Ron jumped in. "At least we know your new year's eve was better," he said and Harry laughed, but Hermione frowned and shook her head, causing the boys to do the same.  
  
"It was worse. After the gling man left us alone, we met up with a... mutual enemy, you could say. I really don't want to talk about it; it's no one you know, don't worry," she said, then looked up sharply. "And if you so much as mention it to Draco, I chop off both your heads and let Crookshanks have the rest; got it?" she threatened and they both nodded stiffly. She self-consciously hugged her dragon. "That's all I need is for him to get even more upset," she mumbled. Ron raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Can we say lover's quarrel?" he asked and she nodded.  
  
"Had a bit of an argument this morning; just a tiny one... I can name a lot worse, but I still feel kind of bad, I mean, it was my fault and he didn't really get mad, just... like, hurt that I would do that, you know?" she sighed. "Talk about a guilt trip."  
  
"So, you admit you fight often?" Harry asked almost worriedly. Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, hardly ever. We've had disagreements, but we usually end up in a dispassionate debate of some sort, which have been mistaken as fights, but are really just conversations. There are only three that stand out as real fights, this morning not being one of them. First, was just a big misunderstanding; it was actually that night we visited you guys... then I had one and he had his. Just a word of warning; avoid reading Draco's mind at all costs- it really pisses him off. That was the only time he's ever acted anything like his old self; almost scary, really."  
  
"Hermione," Harry said worriedly, placing a hand well above the small of her back. Hermione didn't know what to feel; his touch was so unlike that which she was used to. She liked it; it was warm and inviting... but it lacked that special something unique only to her boyfriend. "He didn't... hurt you this one time, did he?" Hermione stopped in her tracks and glared at Harry, images of Zane running through her mind. She began to shake her head.  
  
"No. No, no, no, no, no... you did not just ask me that, Harry! You didn't, you couldn't have... you're my friend... Never would he do anything like that to me, or anything else... well, not another woman..." Her voice grew soft. "I knew this was too good to be true; I should never have expected you to trust my judgment. Some miracles are just not meant to happen," she said disappointedly. Ron spoke up for his speechless friend.  
  
"We do trust you; we know Draco's changed, but everyone makes mistakes. You can tell us, Mione. We ARE your friends; we won't get mad... wizard's word," he said and held up three fingers in the shape of a 'w'. Harry nodded and did the same. Hermione shook her head again and looked somewhat disgusted, then dropped her features and just looked sad.  
  
"I-I have to go. Ride with the others, alright? I'll see you at dinner." She gave them each a kiss on the cheek, then started slowly toward the gates. Hermione turned back after only a few steps. "Oh, and could you guys make sure everyone gets in the carriages?"  
  
"Sure, Mione," Harry provided. Hermione said nothing and walked slowly toward the gates. Harry and Ron watched as she broke into a run a little up the path and looked worriedly at each other.  
  
"I think we messed up, Harry."  
  
"Yeah, but I think that was inevitable. Let's go say hello to Hagrid before he leaves," Harry suggested, not sounding quite happy or excited. Ron nodded in agreement and they started toward the burly man who too was looking glum as he rounded up the first years.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione ran to the castle as fast as she could. She wanted Draco. Harry and Ron's simple question had stung her hard; it brought forth not only memories of Zane, but fabricated images of Draco performing Zane's actions. Hermione was shaking just thinking these things and she needed him; she needed Draco. One moment in his embrace would help her realize how stupid this whole thing was. She just needed to see him, hear him speak softly into her hair, and remind herself that this boy she adored was nothing like her muggle enemy.  
  
Hermione paused to wipe the frozen tears from her face before opening the doors to the castle. She didn't want him to know she was upset, but she had a feeling Draco would know no matter how hard she tried to hide it. The icy lobby was deserted, so Hermione walked through it and into the great hall. All the teachers were working diligently to get everything ready for the soon coming students and Hermione looked from head to head, searching for one in particular. Then, she saw him, standing in the corner talking with a house elf. She smiled and made her way through the teachers, coming up behind Draco just as the house elf thanked him and walked away. Hermione tapped his shoulder and he slowly turned, looking excited as he saw her.  
  
"Hey," he said happily and Hermione smiled. Draco moved swiftly to kiss her jawbone, smiling as he straightened again. "What is it with you and stealing my clothes, Mia?" he asked amusedly and Hermione looked confused for a moment, looking down at herself.  
  
"Oh," she said, remembering the cloak. "Sorry. I actually didn't mean to that time," she told him and smiled weakly. Draco's expression became concerned and he reached out comfortingly to her.  
  
"What's wrong?" She looked down. Hermione knew he'd be able to tell... she smiled.  
  
"Nothing, I just thought Dumbledore might want to know that the train is here." Draco didn't look convinced, but Hermione pretended not to notice. She continued to smile, but her eyes looked sad. Draco tilted his head to look at her and Hermione looked away, knowing he could see right through her façade. Against her will, she felt her lip quiver slightly in response to the still-vivid fabrications in her mind. Draco's eyes grew a little wider; he knew something was wrong, but not wrong enough to make her cry.  
  
"Hey," he said softly, stepping a little closer. Hermione gave up her hiding and moved into her boyfriend, sliding her arms around him. Draco mimicked her move, looking worried as he tightened his embrace. "What happened, love?" he asked and felt Hermione relax a little. The concern in his voice and the heartfelt usage of the nickname were two of the many differences between Draco and Zane. As she heard them in his caring embrace, the images faded quickly. "Hermione?" Draco asked when she didn't answer and the head Gryffindor shook her head, holding him tight.  
  
"No, it's stupid, I'm being overemotional. I think I ran myself out cleaning yesterday." Draco smiled for a moment and placed his cheek against the side of her head.  
  
"Was it Harry and Ron? Did they say something? I'm sure they didn't mean to hurt you," he asked softly and Hermione closed her eyes.  
  
"No," she lied sadly and Draco smiled a bit, running a hand comfortingly over her back.  
  
"Was it one of the Slytherin? Have the rumors started? Don't let them get to you, Mia; some people need to compensate for their lack of imagination," he said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Oh, you'd be surprised; some of them are pretty creative, but no, that's not it. I really don't want to talk about it, Ace. It's stupid and unimportant," she requested and Draco nodded in understanding.  
  
"Are you sure there's no one I can beat to a bloody pulp for you?" he asked, sounding almost like he longed to. Hermione giggled, which made Draco feel ten times better.  
  
"No, but I appreciate the offer," she said and purposely savored her last moment in the arms of the head Slytherin, then lifted her head from his chest. Hermione looked up at her boyfriend, then down to watch as her hands moved from his back, around to his chest. "The carriages should be arriving soon; I better go hold off the crowd. Come tell me when you guys are ready in here, alright?" she asked and Draco smiled.  
  
"Of course, love," he said and gave her lips a long peck, which then turned into a rather involved kiss. Hermione broke away first.  
  
"I have to go," she said. "But, thank you." Hermione gave him another quick kiss, then pulled out of his arms and walked quickly to the hall doors, leaving Draco standing alone. With a sigh, he dropped his arms to the side and went in search of Dumbledore to make sure he was informed of the train arrival, although Draco was fairly sure he already knew.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione stepped outside and sighed happily. She felt a little bad about leaving Draco in the dark and worried like that, but she felt much better about the problem that had brought her to him in the first place. She couldn't tell Draco about the images, of course; he would be worried, and possibly even hurt. Hermione had made an easy decision in remaining silent. ** What would he think of me if he knew?** she wondered, her happiness draining slightly and a frown crossing his lips. She hugged the dragon close and started down the stairs. Hermione stopped half way and sat down, wrapping the cloak around her legs and hugging herself tight.  
  
As predicted, the carriages could be seen moving slowly up the hill. Hermione smiled as she saw them; she was eager to apologize to Harry and Ron. It had been rather rude of her to just run away from them like that. She chewed her lip and tapped her feet, keeping her arms tucked close. **Could they move any slower? At this rate, they'll be just in time for graduation.** she thought irritably.  
  
Hermione stayed where she was as the coaches paraded in front of her, creating a line down the path. She stood in sheer anticipation as the children began pouring out and craned her neck, looking for her friends. At first, she couldn't see them and Hermione felt a slight unease settle about her. **How hard can it be to get into a stupid carriage? Oh, I hope they weren't left behind,** she thought quietly. Then, Hermione saw them, looking slightly morose and standing together as Ginny stepped out of the last carriage in line. The red-headed girl looked curiously at her brother and friend, knowing something had happened. Hermione smiled, somewhat relieved, and looked over the mob of students who were approaching the steps.  
  
"Attention students!" she called, holding her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. Ginny looked up when she heard this and smiled excitedly as she poked Ron and pointed. He and Harry looked to her as well and smiled when she did. "Good evening! I am Hermione Granger; this year's head girl. Please follow me into the lobby, but kindly do not venture into the great hall until told to do so! Thank you!" Hermione yelled and turned, heading up the stairway. She walked briskly through the lobby and to the great hall doors before turning back around, blocking the way. The students obediently followed her and stopped once inside to talk amongst themselves. As she watched, Hermione saw two redheads and a green-eyed boy make their way through and over to her. As they broke from the crowd, Hermione did her part by approaching them.  
  
"Oh, you guys, I'm sorry," she said before they could and gave each Harry and Ron a light friendly hug.  
  
"No, Mione. We're sorry; we really didn't think that; I don't know where it came from," Harry said and both boys looked down.  
  
"I do. It's alright, really. I don't blame you guys for anything... there's bits and pieces of undisclosed information you're missing in explanation to my reaction, is all. Don't worry about me, it's someone else's fault entirely," she said happily, then took a breath.  
  
"Who?" Ron asked before he could stop himself and Harry elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow..." he breathed, clutching his side. Hermione giggled.  
  
"Not Draco. Hey, where'd Ginny go?" Harry and Ron, who were smiling goofily, blinked and looked around.  
  
"There," Harry said after a moment, pointing discreetly at a group of their lower classmen. Hermione huffed good-naturedly.  
  
"Guess she's not too excited to say hi to me right away," she assumed, smiling, and shaking her head. Then, Ron shook his.  
  
"No; ecstatic... she just wanted to give us a few minutes to apologize," he said sadly, but Hermione's smile grew.  
  
"Oi! Ginny!" Hermione called and her friend spun, a huge smile on her face. She slowly made her way to the group of three seventh years.  
  
"What do YOU want, Granger?" she asked irritably, smile changing to a look of annoyance.  
  
"Nothing you've got, Weasley," Hermione shot back. The girls glared at each other for a moment, then simultaneously threw open their arms and squealed.  
  
"Oh, I missed you, Ginny! I've had absolutely no one to talk to... except the teachers... I know, and this one painting." Hermione said and Ginny laughed.  
  
"What about your BOYfriend?" Ron asked, mockingly of course, and Ginny pulled away to slap him upside the head.  
  
"Ron, are you that dense? You can't tell girl stuff you your boyfriend or your guyfriends! They'd either be embarrassed beyond comprehension or bored to tears... either way not much help. You just remember that," she said hotly and Hermione smiled into her hand. Ron just rolled his eyes.  
  
"She's right, Ron. You know all that stuff I won't talk to you about? I don't talk to Draco about it either. He just wouldn't understand... and I'm not good at making flashcards," Hermione said and Ginny laughed. Harry and Ron just looked confused.  
  
"I missed you too, Mione. All I've had is Mum, and her advice is always 'Here, dear, have a cookie... oh, but not the pumpkin butter ones... give you warts.' Gee, thanks Mum, that totally solves the problem of my incapability to get a boyfriend." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Oh, Ginny... you're too young to have a boyfriend," Ron said and Ginny turned to him furiously.  
  
"Oh, Ginny... you're too young to have a boyfriend," Hermione mimicked in an old lady voice and Harry laughed.  
  
"Am not!" Ginny shouted at her brother. "How is that fair? You dated Hermione in fifth year, and I'm technically half way through my sixth," she said and crossed her arms. Hermione nodded.  
  
"She's got a point, Ron," she agreed.  
  
"That's different... we were.. us, you're... you," he stuttered. Ginny rolled her eyes again.  
  
"Yes, Ron. I am your little baby sister who will forever remain two years old... and yet I am ten times more mature than you."  
  
"Are not!" Ron retorted.  
  
"I rest my case," Ginny said and Ron childishly crossed his arms. "And more and more proof rolls in. Hey Mione, can we go in yet? I'm starving!"  
  
"Um, I don't know... Draco was supposed to come out and tell me when I can let everyone in... let me check," Hermione said, holding up one finger and hurrying toward the doors.  
  
She stepped up to the big redwood slab and pushed it slowly open. Hermione was smiling down at the ground as she did this, but gasped and looked up as something slid into the wall in front of her.  
  
"Hey," Draco said with a smirk on his face and Hermione smiled. He was leaning sideways against the door, arms crossed and robes still swishing from his movement.  
  
"You know, someday I'm going to turn around and slap you when you do that," she told him, shaking her head and Draco just shrugged.  
  
"It's not like you haven't done it before," he reminded her and Hermione put on a fake pout.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Ace," she said in the same voice she used for Crookshanks and kissed him lightly in apology. Then, both smiled and kissed once more. "Hey, can I let these guys in yet? They're getting irritable." Draco nodded.  
  
"I was just coming to tell you that," he said and she nodded.  
  
"Okay, good. Come with," she said, grabbed his hand and pulled him through the doors before Draco could utter a word of protest. Hermione dragged her boyfriend over to her group, who all looked rather bored, but perked up when they saw her coming. As she arrived at their side, Hermione dropped Draco's hand and turned to address the crowd. "Attention students, you may now enter the great hall! Please remain orderly!" she called and heard Harry huff.  
  
"Yeah, like that's going to happen," he mumbled and the group all chuckled a bit. As the students filed into the great hall, Hermione, her boyfriend, and her friends watched with silent smiles. When the last few students left the lobby, Draco leaned in close to Hermione's ear.  
  
"Hey," he said quietly and she turned to him with a smile. "I have to go deal with the first years, I'll see you after the sorting, alright?" Draco asked and Hermione nodded. He smiled and kissed her quickly, then hurried off toward the outside door. Hermione smiled after him, then turned again to her friends. Ginny was looking dreamy and in longing, but Harry and Ron gave each other a look and attempted to hold in their laughter.  
  
"Oh, shut up," Hermione said and crossed her arms.  
  
"Why, hello, Malfoy. So nice of you to drop... oh wait, you're gone already," Ron said with a stupid grin and a mocking laugh. Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes, but Harry laughed.  
  
"Can't you be a little more sympathetic? He doesn't feel all that comfortable around you guys yet; I can tell. He just doesn't' want to say the wrong thing," she said, sounding almost as if she were scolding them. The boys shrugged and looked at each other.  
  
"Sorry, Mione," Ron apologized and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. Let's go to dinner," she suggested and started for the great hall, immediately followed by Ginny. Ron and Harry gave each other a look, then trailed behind.  
  
A/N: Haha, I know... you're disappointed, aren't you? Lol. A lot of you thought Harry and Ron were ignoring Hermione, but they weren't... they just hadn't seen her there. I apologize for such a long wait for such a crappy story... and I will restart my PRF's next chapter... promise. As many of you know, I have finished this story. This is not the last chapter; far from it, but I have them all composed and in need of tuning. Hopefully it won't be so long a wait for the next one. I hope you enjoyed this at least a little bit. Again, Sorry. 


	50. Dinner of Sorts

Disclaimer: Me no own HP.  
  
Note: I know in advance that the rest of this fic sucks, but I'm feeling ambitious, so I'll just type it up, that way you all can SEE how much it sucks. Anyway...  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
CHAPTER FORTY NINE: Dinner of Sorts  
  
"So, why is Malfoy sorting the first years? What happened to McGonagall?" Harry asked when Draco walked into the great hall, followed by about forty eleven year olds and a burly care of magical creatures professor. Hermione, who had been smiling at the Slytherin as he walked across the dining hall, looked to her friend.  
  
"I don't really know; Dumbledore said she wasn't feeling well... which reminds me, I should go visit her."  
  
"Why would you want to do that?" Ron asked from beside her, looking up from the shredded roll on his plate.  
  
"Wow, Ron. I think that's the first thing in seven years you've said at a meal that I actually understood," Hermione joked, more to avoid his question than to tease him. Ron smiled and shook his shoulders.  
  
"Not really that hungry," he said and Hermione looked instantly and honestly worried.  
  
"Ron, what's wrong?" she asked concernedly and felt his forehead, then simply kept her hand on his cheek. "Are you not feeling well? Did something happen? Do you want to talk about it?" Ron smiled crookedly and removed her hands.  
  
"I'm fine and nothing happened. And no, I definitely don't want to talk about it. Don't worry about me, Mione. You've got enough to worry about," he told her and went back to mutilating his dinner roll. Hermione stared worriedly, then quickly shot her eyes to Harry, but he was turned in his seat, mouthing silent words to a pretty Ravenclaw.  
  
"Ron," she said, placing her hand on his forearm. "I understand, really, but... whatever it is, did you at least tell Harry? Just tell me this one thing and I'll drop the whole subject, I promise." Ron stopped shredding for a moment and momentarily remained silent.  
  
"Yes, I told Harry," he said and Hermione smiled warmly, rubbing his arm.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Hey, Mione," said Ginny from across the table where she was trying to ignore Harry's attempts at getting a date, as if he needed to try. "Don't you think Parkinson is looking a little strange?" she asked, pointing a thumb over her shoulder. Hermione's eyes went directly to the Slytherin table and she dragged her gaze along until she saw Pansy. The Slytherin girl was wearing heavy black eyeliner, black stockings and shoes, and had her normally long and attractive hair cut short and dyed black at the tips.  
  
"Indefinitely," Hermione answered and bit her lip, noticing that Pansy had not smiled once in the time that she had been watching her. "Do you think she heard about New Years?" Ginny nodded.  
  
"Definitely. Probably saw it first hand," said the redhead and she made a mocking kiss toward her friend. Hermione was watching Pansy; everyone was supposed to wear black, but her outfit seemed blacker than night. Then, Hermione looked around at the hall.  
  
"Oh, damn... I'll be right back, guys; uniform." All three nodded and Hermione flew from the great hall. She summoned her wand with one hand while she magically changed with the other, slipping her Gryffindor robes over her dragon, but under her Slytherin cloak. The head girl reentered the dinging room before the door could close behind her.  
  
"Wow," Harry said. "That was fast." Hermione laughed shortly and twirled her wand in front of her as she retook her seat.  
  
"Hey," Ron said, nodding toward the head table. "It's starting." All three Gryffindor heads then turned toward the back of the hall, just as the hat began its traditional song.  
  
As Draco sorted the first years, Hermione watched him intently, not even noticing the looks her friends were sharing. She watched as her Slytherin called each name expertly, then placed the hat carefully and gracefully on the student's head. Hermione didn't notice the new students or their assigned houses; her eyes were rooted on Draco.  
  
"Hermione," Ron said, but she took no notice. "Hermione?" he asked a little louder; still nothing. Ron turned and looked to Harry and he raised his eyebrows. "Mione, you there?" Ron tried once more, waving a hand in front of her face.  
  
"Leave her be, Ron," Ginny scolded and her brother stopped his attempts, opting to just look his friend over.  
  
"She never looked at me like that," he mumbled, but didn't sound like it bothered him much. It was better when they weren't 'together' and he knew it. As much as he quarreled with Hermione as a friend, it doubled when they were a couple.  
  
"I'm sorry to be the one to spell out the painfully obvious to you, Ron, but she never loved you like that," Ginny said, almost sounding as if she really were sorry. Ron nodded slightly.  
  
"I know," he said, and he did. He'd known since before they even broke up; Hermione didn't love him. She cared about him, of course, but there was a certain something missing from their mutual feelings. It wasn't all her fault, though. He didn't love her either. Ron had reason to believe he would get the same rush kissing Ginny as he had kissing Hermione.  
  
As the last first year was sorted into Ravenclaw, Draco smiled at Hermione, whom he had stared back at more than once, took the stool and had and moved from the center stage, allowing the grinning headmaster to take his place. Hermione's eyes followed her boyfriend until he was out the side entrance, taking the stool back to wherever it came from. When Dumbledore called for attention, her trance was broken and she gave it. The old man clapped his hands together and launched into his annual speech about the forest, Quidditch and House Cups, and introduced the idea of a new Potions master. The hall burst into mumbles and whispers about Professor Snape. Hermione straightened and looked around for Draco. He was standing near the door he had recently exited and looking directly at her. Hermione smiled and motioned for him to come over.  
  
"Obsessed much?" Harry asked and both Hermione and Ginny sent him a look. The head girl then turned back to her Head boy and smiled at him as he cautiously walked closer.  
  
"Hey," Draco said, addressing the entire group, much to the surprise of its members, slightly including Hermione. The three new arrivals nodded a greeting, but Hermione took Draco's hand and pulled him down to sit backward on the bench next to her. As Dumbledore moved on to speak more about the changes that would occur because of the late start of the school year, Hermione turned and smiled at Draco.  
  
"Have fun?" she asked, noticing his slightly nervous demeanor. Draco smiled, thankful for at least something to talk about.  
  
"Oh yes, loads," he said sarcastically, breaking the awkwardness. Slowly, Ron, Ginny, and Harry fell into a conversation Hermione really wasn't a part of, and Draco definitely wasn't, so she opted to talk to him.  
  
"Did you see Pansy?" she asked quietly and Draco nodded.  
  
"Don't worry about her, Mia... she's just used to getting her way," he said and Hermione chewed her lip for a moment.  
  
"I do feel kind of guilty; she seems really upset," she observed, looking sadly at the girl who was topic of their conversation.  
  
"Hermione, really. Don't let her bother you; she doesn't matter in the slightest," Draco said, smiling in a way that would have made her do the same, had she been looking at him.  
  
"Did you tell her about us beforehand, or did she find out at New Years?" Hermione asked, ignoring his request. Draco didn't answer and Hermione sighed. "You should go talk to her. Can you imagine how much of a shock that must have been?" she asked almost fiercely. "It'd be like you walking into class and seeing her snogging Ron."  
  
"Mia, calm down. She'll get over it," Draco insisted and Hermione turned to him.  
  
"Draco, really," she said calmly. "If it were me sitting over there looking like that, I know for a fact you wouldn't say 'She'll get over it' and just leave me there; I don't expect you to do so to anyone else, either."  
  
"I'm sorry, love... I didn't know you could care so much about the well being of someone who couldn't care less about you," he said, looking surprised, but somewhat understanding.  
  
"This is where I am unlike her, Draco. Just because she isn't the most pleasant person and you don't particularly like her, it doesn't mean she's inhuman or has no feelings. Come on, Ace, just talk to her, okay? Please?" Draco sighed and smiled.  
  
"If you want me to, Mia, of course I will... but I don't see what it will accomplish," he said and Hermione smiled, then gave him a small thank you kiss.  
  
"Probably nothing, but I'll feel better," she said and sighed contentedly.  
  
"And you are a million ways unlike Pansy, love." Hermione smiled, but her loving gaze was interrupted.  
  
"And now," called Dumbledore. "I shall introduce this year's prefects; from Ravenclaw; Mandy Brocklehurst. From Hufflepuff, Justin Finch-Fletchley, from Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson, and Gryffindor's own Ron Weasley." For heads simultaneously turned to Ron in surprise. He was looking down, shredding his bread as if nothing had happened. Dumbledore waited a moment for the applause to die down, and then began to speak of the duties of the prefects.  
  
"Ron, why didn't you tell me? Tell Mum? She'll be really proud," Ginny said, and the surprise of the other three doubled. Ron stopped his shredding, but didn't look up.  
  
"It was annoying when everyone else did it, wasn't it? And how proud can Mum possibly be, Gin? After having four sons become prefects, the fifth can't be too exciting. It's got to get old after a while. And besides, it's not like I deserve it... I'm like Hermione's homework and Ron's handwriting. I'm not who they think I am," he said sadly and sighed. Hermione's mouth dropped open.  
  
"No, Ron... I never did anything FOR you... all I did was help you understand. You got all those good grades by yourself, I just told you when you were right," Hermion explained, putting her hand on his forearm. Ron did nothing for a moment, and then laughed.  
  
"Who are you kidding, Mione? I barely passed my finals," he said.  
  
"Well, Dumbledore knows that and he also knows you're just not a good test- taker. Come on, Rom; don't you think there's more to your becoming a prefect than my helping with your homework. Dumbledore would have known that," Hermione told him, her tone soft.  
  
"She's got a point, Ron. As we've established many times, that guy knows everything," Draco added honestly. This comment went almost unnoticed by everyone but Draco and Ron. The other three simply nodded along, their focus on Ron. The new prefect sent Draco a semi-irritated glare, but his eyes softened when he saw the honest look on the head boy's face. Ron sighed.  
  
"I just don't know," he said, sounding tired. Hermione squeezed his arm gently and he smiled slightly.  
  
"And now to announce our Head boy and girl, whom you can thank for the belated, but still beautiful decorations. Please, come take your respectable seats at the head table. This years Head boy: Draco Malfoy," Hermione turned to him with a smile and nodded once.  
  
"Go," she whispered happily and Draco smiled before standing and doing as Dumbledore asked.  
  
"And our Head girl," the headmaster continued when the applause died down and Draco was seated. "Hermione Granger." As the crowd erupted, Hermion leaned close to Ron's ear.  
  
"We're going to talk about this later; just you and me," she whispered and hugged him briefly before moving to join her boyfriend.  
  
"Well, hello. Long time no see," Draco said with a smile as Hermione took her seat beside him, but she simply looked worriedly at the group of Gryffindor she had just left.  
  
"I'm worried about Ron," was all she said and Draco frowned.  
  
"Yeah, me too, sort of. That's a really distorted way to look at the situation. I can see where he's coming from, but honestly, that guy has no self confidence at all," he said and Hermione nodded.  
  
"He really does deserve this, Draco... sure, he goofs off a lot, but he does work really hard. He gets nervous during tests and psyches himself out. I've seen it happen... it's not pretty." Draco simply stared, worried more for Hermione than Ron. She had enough problems as it was, she didn't need a mislead prefect to worry about as well. Hoping to cheer her up a bid, Draco kissed her ear, as he had a habit of doing, and Hermion smiled, turning to him.  
  
"Alright?" he asked in a whisper and she gave a slight nod.  
  
"Isn't this weird? It's usually just us, not us and eight hundred other people," she said and he smiled.  
  
"I suppose, a little," he agreed and kissed her full on the lips. Hermione pulled away with a smile as the kiss grew a tad too involved. Draco looked a little hurt, but Hermione smiled and began to explain.  
  
"And, do to this addition, and the fact that in a few minutes, the headmaster will be sitting next to me, meal time conduct will need altercation," he said and Draco looked almost as if she had slapped him. Suddenly, Hermione looked worried. "No, Ace... it's not that I don't want to kiss you like we usually do, or I don't want you to kiss me... or I care who sees... it's just that there are going to be at the very least a hundred people just... staring... it freaks me out a little." Draco didn't look much better. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Ace. I'll make it up to you later, I promise," she said, smiling sweetly. Draco looked blankly at his plate. "Draco..." Hermione linked her hands around his arm and he looked to her with a smile.  
  
"I'm okay. Whatever makes you happy, Mia," he said innocently, and then turned back to his plate. Hermione watched him for a moment, and then rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, come on," she said, causing him to look up just in time for her to lock their lips. Hermione began to lead Draco into one of their regular dinnertime kisses, and then allowed him to carry her; he knew his limits. When they broke apart, Hermione spoke first. "Why did you have to make me feel so guilty?"  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
"You're lucky I love you, you know."  
  
"Very."  
  
"They're staring... I told you, can't you just feel it? They're watching us like Quidditch..."  
  
"I know." Hermione said nothing more and it was only then did they notice that the hall was completely silent, save Dumbledore's booming voice. Hermione turned to the crowd and blushed deeply; every head was staring at them with wide eyes, save a small smirking group of three Gryffindor. Apparently, 'They love each other and are going out like normal teenagers' wasn't one of the rumors spread.  
  
"Is it THAT unfathomable that we're together of our own will?" Draco whispered and Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Apparently," she peeped and he smiled.  
  
"Hey, it's alright love... don't look at them, look at me," Draco suggested, tuning her chin. Hermione looked up and into his eyes, just as he asked, and found herself forgetting all about the staring students. Ron looked up at Hermione and Draco, and then nudged Harry.  
  
"She's doing it again," he said, nodding in the direction of the head table. Both Harry and Ginny looked up to see the two head students in an eye lock, once again in that unbreakable stare. Harry shook his head.  
  
"I didn't want to be the one to say it, but this whole Hermione infatuated with Malfoy thing is freaking me out. I know she has feelings for him and he reciprocates them, and I have no problem with them being together, but because we haven't seen them it's like it just, boom, happened," Harry said and both Weasleys nodded.  
  
"I don't know, I think it's kind of cute," Ginny said, tilting her head. "Sudden, but cute."  
  
"You would," Ron said, earning a glare from his sister.  
  
"And with that," Dumbledore boomed a little extra loudly, causing every inattentive head to turn to him, including those of the Head boy and girl. "I welcome you to another no doubt interesting year. Let the feast begin." Applause filled the room and Dumbledore took his seat. Hermione looked quickly to Draco, who was smirking, then blushed and turned her eyes to her plate, which was now piled high. The headmaster looked to the girl at his side and raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright, Miss Granger?" Hermione looked up.  
  
"Oh, yes, fine, Headmaster," she said, then turned back to her untouched meal, blushing again. Dumbledore looked to Draco, who shrugged, but remained smirking.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
After the feasting and traditional school song, Dumbledore dismissed the students with an order to follow the prefects back to their common rooms. As the students filed out, the headmaster reseated himself and poured another cup of witch hazel tea. Hermione and Draco remained behind with the teachers; Draco looking blankly out across the hall and Hermion at her hands in her lap.  
  
"Professor," she said to Dumbledore and both he and Draco looked to her. "Would it be alright if I came to talk to you later this evening?" Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Yes, of course, Miss Granger," he said, and then paused for a moment. "It might be wise of me to make some calls and determine the whereabouts of our new potions master," he said to no one and Draco looked curious.  
  
"Was the new Professor scheduled to arrive tonight, Headmaster?" Draco asked, taking his worried eyes from his girlfriend.  
  
"Yesterday, actually. Let's hope to meet him at breakfast," Dumbledore proposed, paused a moment, then drained his teacup and stood. "Good evening," he said cheerily and left the hall. Now only Draco and Hermione remained.  
  
"Mia?" She looked up at him with a smile, but Draco could see that there was something bothering her. "Are you... mad at me?" she frowned.  
  
"N-No, why?" Draco smiled unconvincingly and shrugged a little.  
  
"I thought maybe, because of this morning," Hermione shook her head, still frowning, and hugged her dragon, although the source of its comfort was seated beside her. She sighed.  
  
"You know what?" I refuse to be upset right now. I just... don't want to. I'm going to stop thinking about Ron's problems and just go do something normal. I don't need this today," she said, took a deep breath, and put on a wide smile, sitting straighter in her chair. Draco smiled at her and she turned to him. "Do you want to go back upstairs?" Draco shrugged.  
  
"Don't you want to do something a little more... Gryffindor-y?"  
  
"Like what? Sneak into the Slytherin common room?" Hermione asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow and Draco laughed.  
  
"Have you done that?"  
  
"Just once, but I didn't go. You were there; they talked to you," she said, still smirking, enjoying the look of shock on his face.  
  
"Who's they?"  
  
"Harry and Ron."  
  
"And they talked to me? What did I say? How did they do it without me noticing who it was?" Hermione held up both hands.  
  
"I am not at liberty to elaborate on the subject," she said simply, knowing she was dancing quite close to the fire.  
  
"Hermione, tell me," he said, but she crossed her arms.  
  
"Sorry sweetie, but I just can't do that," Hermione told him, sticking out her bottom lip.  
  
"Hermione..." Draco said warningly and she stood, sweeping around the back of his chair.  
  
"Yes Draco?" she asked sweetly, her lips close to his ear. Draco stood up quickly and spun around, facing her with a determined look about him. Hermione kept her amused and innocent demeanor.  
  
"Don't you 'yes Draco' me," he said in what was supposed to be a threatening manner, but Hermione giggled. She took a step forward and locked their lips, causing Draco to unintentionally give up on intimidation and succumb to her sweet kiss. Hermione smiled quickly into his lips, then set on a mission to make it worth his while. When they pulled away, Hermione was wearing a smug smirk and Draco was smiling in satisfaction. When Hermione turned to walk toward the doors, Draco followed, but only for a moment before he realized what had just happened. "Don't think you're getting off that easy, Granger!" he called, picking up his pace a bit. Hermione looked back for a moment, shrieked as she saw how quickly he was advancing, then took off in a full out run.  
  
Draco came through the doors immediately after Hermione, who was running as fast as she could toward Gryffindor tower. Although he could easily have caught up to her, Draco lagged back, enjoying their little game.  
  
"Hermione Granger, I suggest you get back here before I am forced to do something you'll regret," he called after her, his breathing barely irregular. Hermione looked behind her again, smiling.  
  
"I'll believe it... when I see it," she panted, then picked up the pace a bit. She was almost there... Draco couldn't let her get to the 'safe house'. He caught up to her easily and caught her around the waist. "Draco!" she shrieked, happy and out of breath.  
  
"I warned you," he reminded her and Hermione laughed again, then turned around, facing him. She opened her mouth to say something no-doubt-witty, but Draco cut her off with an unexpected kiss. Without her realizing it, he pushed the head girl up against the wall, lips still on hers, hands busying themselves. "I warned you," he said again, this time in a whisper, and Hermione smiled.  
  
"What exactly are you planning to do, Draco Malfoy, kiss me to death?" Hermione asked smartly and Draco shrugged a shoulder.  
  
"Yes, actually, but now that you've caught on, I suppose I'll need to think of something else," he said, sounding a bit exasperated. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Oh really? What is this new plan, then? It wouldn't happen to include butter, would it?" Draco raised an eyebrow and she giggled, and then moved into another kiss, a little noisier than the first. Draco let himself enjoy this for a moment, but he hadn't forgotten her earlier trick. Half way through this kiss, throughout which Hermione had thought she had won, Draco moved suddenly. He held his girlfriend to the wall with his chest and moved his hands to tickle those sensitive spots. As he expected, Hermione shrieked, breaking the kiss and squirming as she laughed. "D-Draco! St- top!" Draco laughed, but, of course, didn't stop.  
  
"And why would I want to do that, hm?" he asked with a smirk and Hermione simply continued her hysterical laughter. In an attempt to get away, she slid down the wall, but Draco came along, crouching with a smirk and continuing to inflict the tickling torture. Too caught up in his fun, Draco left his guard down and Hermione noticed. Determined to stop the torture, she pushed him causing the head Slytherin to crash down on the floor behind him. Before she even bothered to catch her breath, Hermione jumped him, straddling and holding his arms to the ground.  
  
Draco looked a little surprised, but not at all unhappy. Hermione's head hovered less than a foot above his, her hair hanging down and brushing against his cheek. She was breathing hard, from both running and his tickles.  
  
"I told you you'd regret it," Draco said after a moment and Hermione looked up. Still a little out of breath, she scowled.  
  
"You! I could just...!" she started angrily, but Draco cut her off, wearing that adorable smirk.  
  
"You could just what?" he dared, not even bothering to struggle against her. Hermione angrily let out her breath and scowled again, but Draco kept his smirk. "What are you going to do, Mia? I'm interested," he asked making her even more irritable. Hermione growled, teeth clenched, annoyed at his lack of reaction, then suddenly stopped, just looking blankly at the smirking blonde boy beneath her. Draco was a bit surprised at her lack of emotion and stopped playing, looking confusedly up at her. "What is it, love?" he asked and Hermione blinked twice before letting one of his arms go and bringing a hand gently to his face as if to prove to herself that he was there. "Mia?" Draco asked again, worried, but Hermione didn't answer; she locked their lips again. For the first time in the entire month and a half they'd been dating, realization struck her.  
  
**This is Draco Malfoy... I'm sitting on Draco Malfoy... Those are Malfoy lips on mine, a Slytherin tongue at my teeth. I... love Draco Malfoy. ** She thought, and changed her gently approach; now kissing him as if she never had and never would again. The kiss was amazing and they parted slowly.  
  
"I love you," Hermione whispered to him. "So much, Draco..."  
  
"I love you too, Hermione." Draco had just finished when she caught him in another kiss. This one was prolonged and meticulous, lasting for twice as long as the first. Then, Draco broke it to speak. "Hermione," he said into her lips.  
  
"Mmm..." was her only response. He pulled away again.  
  
"Mia, you've got to stop," Hermione broke away as he asked and looked down at him.  
  
"Why?" she asked, her face blank, and Draco smirked.  
  
"Because we have an audience," he told her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Snape again?" Draco shuddered.  
  
"No, but I'll give you three guesses," he said and Hermione looked thoughtful.  
  
"Hm... Peter, Paul, and Mary?" Draco laughed and shook his head slowly. Hermione smiled and turned toward the open Gryffindor portrait where, just as she expected, stood three of her best friends, all of which were smirking. "Do you mind? Little busy," she asked and her friends jumped a bit. Ron and Harry shared a look, but Ginny closed the portrait, leaving the head boy and girl to their 'duties'.  
  
Hermione turned back to Draco and giggled slightly before continuing what they had started. It was quite a time before either spoke again.  
  
"It's getting late," Hermione whispered, then kissed him softly before continuing. "I have to talk to Ron... and then make Ron talk to Dumbledore." She smiled. "And you promised to talk to Pansy." Draco smirked.  
  
"I never said I'd talk to her tonight," he pointed out and Hermione glared. Draco laughed. "I'm kidding, Mia. Calm down, will you?" she sighed and smiled.  
  
"Sorry... I've got a lot on my mind, I guess. A bit high strung at the moment." Draco smiled, but Hermione just looked adoringly at him.  
  
"Mia?" he asked and she blinked.  
  
"Oh, right..." Hermione said, laughing as she lifted herself away from him. Draco stood and held a hand to Hermione, who happily took it and joined him. Smiling, Draco kissed her.  
  
"Meet me in the common room later?" he asked and Hermione smirked.  
  
"No, Draco... I think I'll stay and sleep with Ron tonight, he seems a bid down; it might cheer him up," she said sarcastically and Draco smiled.  
  
"Okay, see you in the morning then?" Hermione laughed.  
  
"Sure, we'll do breakfast." Draco gave a nod.  
  
"It's a date," Draco started down the hall, but Hermione stopped him.  
  
"You know, Draco, we haven't gone on a real date since Seattle." He smiled sadly.  
  
"I know, love." Then, he smiled slightly. "What about New Years?" Hermione shuddered.  
  
"I'm not even sure if I want to remember that, Draco," she said, closing her eyes.  
  
"It was fun until Flag, wasn't' it? That ten minutes shouldn't ruin the whole day." Hermione smiled slightly, opening hr eyes. She nodded and Draco jointed her. "New years eve, then. Flagg didn't show until after midnight." Hermione smiled and moved close, wrapping him in a hug.  
  
"I love you," she said as he embraced her back. "I can't believe you actually made that into something I'll want to remember. You're amazing."  
  
"Does this mean you've changed your mind and I can stay with you?" Draco asked hopefully and Hermione laughed as she pulled back.  
  
"No," she said regretfully, brushing his shirt as if her hug had gotten him dusty. "You really need to talk to her." Hermione looked up and Draco stuck out his lip. "Ah!" she said, closing her eyes and placing her hands over them. "I'm not looking; pout face will not work!" Draco laughed.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'll go. Come on."  
  
"Nope, I am not opening my eyes until you go, so go; I'll meet you for breakfast. Kiss, kiss," she said, waiting to hear footsteps, but Draco laughed.  
  
"But Mia... what if you never see me again?" Hermione's hands flew down and her eyes snapped open. She didn't look happy.  
  
"Draco, if you ever say anything like that ever again, I'll... oh, I don't even know. That was not funny at all. I would like an apology," she said seriously and Draco looked blankly surprised.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I was just joking... I didn't think..." she held up a hand.  
  
"Don't. Just... don't. I love you," she said and gave him one last quick kiss. "Now go, okay? We'll talk later; promise." Hermione stepped up to the portrait, her back toward Draco. "RW fanatic," she said to the fat lady and heard Draco snort.  
  
"And you think I'M conceited," he said, earning a good-natured glare.  
  
"Just go already," she called over her shoulder and Draco laughed.  
  
"Fine, fine... bye love." She held up a hand in wave and Draco turned, walking toward the dungeons. 


	51. Again

Disclaimer: I don't own this. I don't know why you people like it... so easily amused.  
  
CHAPTER FIFTY: Again  
  
"So, what happened?" Harry asked the second Hermione entered the common room and she smiled; how blunt.  
  
"What kind of a question is that, Harry? I don't want details," Ron said, sounding disgusted.  
  
"I do!" cried Ginny, giving Hermione her full attention.  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
"Sorry, Ron, but I'm a girl. Spill it, Mione." Hermione smirked.  
  
"He tickled me," she said and the three winced in unison. Everyone else was in bed... or at least upstairs. No doubt Lavender and Parvarti were still awake... talking about the new couple, most likely.  
  
"How many of his bones did you break?" Ron asked and she smiled; he seemed a little more like his old self.  
  
"None, surprisingly."  
  
"Bodily injuries?" Ginny quipped and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Maybe a bruised bum from contact with the floor, but that's all."  
  
"Okay, can we not talk about Malfoy's bum? Anything else would be acceptable," Harry said and Ron nodded, but Ginny shrugged, a grin on her face.  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
"Ginny!" Ron scolded and she turned to him, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Can it, Ron. It's not like I'm going to steal Mione's man... He TICKLED her and lived to tell about it. They've got to be like... soul makes or something. Malfoy's off limits again," Ginny told her brother, who scowled at being defied.  
  
"Malfoy was never on limits to you, Gin," he said and his sister was about to get angry, but stopped and turned to Hermione.  
  
"Harry said anything but Malfoy's bum would be acceptable conversation. Let's play pick-a-part-on-Malfoy; I'll go first. The part I'm thinking of is long and wide and pokes through cloth; what is it?" Ron stood up.  
  
"Virginia Marie-Anne Weasley!" he yelled, face growing red.  
  
"It's his arm, Ron, get your head out of the gutter!" she yelled back and Hermione decided to play referee.  
  
"Okay, okay; Draco is not what I came here to talk about. Not his bum and not his... arm. Calm down, will you? Vicious lot you Weasley's are," she said and pushed Ron to sit back down on the couch. Ginny stuck her tongue out from her chair across the way.  
  
"Great observation, Mione," Harry said and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Shut up, Harry. Go play chess or something," she said, sitting down next to Ron. Harry was about to retort, but shrugged instead.  
  
"Okay. Hey Gin, play me?" she smiled.  
  
"Sure Harry."  
  
When Harry and Ginny were well into their game and Ron had clamed down a bit, Hermione opted to listen to him.  
  
"Do you want to talk now, Ron?" she asked, moving very close and looking concerned. Ron smiled.  
  
"Actually, Mione, I was thinking about what you said at dinner and I think you might be right. I think I was just so surprised I thought it couldn't be true and convinced myself it wasn't. I mean, why me? I still don't understand that. Why not Harry?" Ron said and Hermione listened, nodding when appropriate.  
  
"Because I told Dumbledore I didn't want to be a prefect," Harry, whom they'd thought wasn't listening, said.  
  
"What? When?" Ron said over his shoulder, not even looking at Harry. Hermione did, and saw that the boy-who-lived kept his eyes glued to the chessboard.  
  
"Right before we left for summer. I said not to even consider me, because I wouldn't accept it."  
  
"Why?" Hermione asked as if it were the most illogical thing she could think of.  
  
"Because I don't want it; figured I'd leave it for someone who does." Hermione smiled.  
  
"Well Mione, that's settled. You can go back to lover boy if you want," Ron said, smirking.  
  
"Hell no; I think I'd like to spend some time with my friends, if that's okay with you. And besides, Draco's busying himself with Parkinson at the moment," Hermione said and all three heads looked to her.  
  
"Oh Mione... we're sorry," Ginny said and Hermione looked confused for a moment before she laughed.  
  
"He's not screwing her, he's just talking to her." She shook her head. "You guys."  
  
"Hermione," said Harry. " I believe this is what's more commonly known as denial." Hermione groaned a laugh.  
  
"I told him to go talk to her, guys. He really didn't want to. He even used the pouty face. Just close your eyes and back away; otherwise that lip will get him anything from you. 'Can I have a million galleons?' 'Uh, no.'::LIP:: 'Sure Draco, take two million.' It's no wonder everyone loves his mother so much; she's got the lip too." Harry Ron and Ginny stared blankly and Hermione shook her head. "Never mind."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione stayed in the common room for over two hours, just catching up with her friends. It was almost curfew when she finally decided she should go, but Harry stopped her.  
  
"Play one more game with me Mione?" he asked.  
  
"Harry, don't you get tired of losing?" asked Ron with a smirk and Harry scowled.  
  
"If I did, I would've stopped playing you in first year."  
  
"Harry, I think Ron taught you wrong or something. I hardly ever play chess, and you do all the time, yet you haven't managed to beat me yet. In seven years of playing Ron, how did you manage to not get any better?" Hermione asked with a smirk as she watched Harry set up the pieces.  
  
"You mean in seven years of losing to Ron, how did I not get better?" he asked suspiciously and Hermione laughed. "So, how 'bout it? One more game?" Hermione looked uneasily at her watch  
  
"I don't know, Harry. Curfew's in twenty minutes..."  
  
"You're head girl, nobody's going to question you," he argued.  
  
"That doesn't mean I should exploit my position," she said, but moved a piece, beginning the game.  
  
"Let her go, Harry. She wants to get back to the foxy ferret," said Ron and Harry laughed.  
  
"Foxy ferret... I like that." Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Actually, Draco's not expecting to see me until breakfast," she said truthfully and the boys looked to her. "I told him I was staying here and I'd see him then... I was kidding, but he doesn't have to know that." She laughed. "I'm not staying, guys, if I do he'll fall asleep in the common room and then he'll be grouchy."  
  
"Why?" Harry asked.  
  
"Because the git won't go to sleep unless he sees me right beforehand. He'll wait for me... but I'm not much better. Check." Harry looked down at the board.  
  
"Already?" he asked in amazement and Hermione smirked.  
  
"What do you mean, Mione?" Ron asked curiously.  
  
"Snape's an arse and he gave him this detention, right? I waited up thinking he'd be back about nine or ten, but it was one before Snape even let Draco leave. And I waited. You're dead, Harry. Check."  
  
"Gah!" Harry sputtered.  
  
"You waited for that long? If only Ginny hadn't gone to bed... I could just hear her. 'Awe, that's so sweet! You must really be in love!" Ron mimicked.  
  
"Leave your sister alone, Ron. Oh, for Merlin's sake, Harry. Check Mate."  
  
"She beats you faster than I do," Ron said with a smirk and Harry groaned.  
  
"I think I'm getting worse."  
  
"Now I really have to go," Hermione said, standing.  
  
"Oh, come on, Mione. Tell us more about your devotion to the little prince of darkness," Ron said and Hermione crossed her arms.  
  
"You want a story? I'll give you a story. That night we all went for a stroll in the forest? I slept with him. No, wait; let me rephrase that. I slept in his bed with him. No sex; too tired even if we'd wanted to, but what you guys don't know, and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you, but Draco has premonitions... and he saw what was going to happen a week before it did. HE wouldn't sleep the whole time. I stayed with him that night, and he slept until one o'clock. I waited until twelve thirty, although I'd woken about eight. There's devotion for you. Can I go now?" Harry was speechless, but Ron looked pale and scared.  
  
"Hermione, I..."  
  
"No Ron. I need you to do something for me. Stop feeling guilty. No body was hurt and it wasn't your fault, anyway. I don't want you all 'Oh my god, Hermione, are you alright? Can I carry your books? Let me just carry you' I've just broken Draco from that. We can't change what happened, but we can put it behind us." She sighed. "I'll see you guys at breakfast, okay?" she said, blew them each a kiss, then swept out of the common room, prepared to run, if necessary, to get home on time.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hermione walked into the common room, unsurprised to see Draco sitting in one of the chairs, reading another booklet on Apparation. He looked up when he heard Hermione walk in and she smiled at him, but then gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Draco pretended not to notice.  
  
"Well, hello you. I was beginning to think I really WASN'T going to see you until breakfast," he said with a smile, closing his book. Hermione, who had stopped dead, shook away a little of the surprise and quickly, approached him. She knelt between his legs and reached up to gingerly touch the right side of his face.  
  
"My god, Draco, what did she do to you?" Hermione asked and Draco frowned as he felt her fingers gently tread over the skin around his eye, which he knew was quite hideously bruised.  
  
"Seems I have a few Slytherin a tad angry with me, but that wasn't unexpected. You can't hope for universal popularity," he said and gave her a smile, but Hermione kept her look of concern.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, making eye contact. Draco sighed.  
  
"Pansy, Zabini, and Bulstrode. I went to talk to them, Pansy seemed mad that I even dare step a foot onto Slytherin territory and they backed her up, but never did or said anything. She hit me and I left, simple as that," he said and shrugged. "Slytherin aren't like Gryffindor, Mia. We don't 'talk'. We get even."  
  
"You didn't hit her back, did you?" Hermione asked, but was more than sure he hadn't.  
  
"No, of course not."  
  
"Good, because I'm going to bitch slap her back to wherever the hell she came from," she added viciously and Draco looked almost scared.  
  
"Mia, listen to yourself. I'm fine, and in reality I probably deserved it." Hermione shifted her eyes to his quickly, but Draco wasn't finished yet. "I didn't tell her after all, I let her find out by herself. Really shouldn't have done that, but it's not like she doesn't know I hate her. Calm down, love. The getting worked up isn't necessary." Hermione looked at him for a moment, and then made a dry sob.  
  
"Draco, do you realize this is the third time this relationship has almost killed you? In under two months!" she was really upset and Draco was worried. Did she realize how insane that sounded?  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Hermione, calm down. It's just a black eye, I'm quite far from dead."  
  
"Because it was just some girls. Draco, what if the rest of Slytherin turn against you, which they undoubtedly will? What about the boys, hm? I have faith in you, Draco, but there're so damn many of them... you could seriously get hurt," she said and kept lightly touching his face.  
  
"Mia, listen to me. You are overreacting. Horrendously overreacting. I'm fine, love. I can handle the Slytherin. We'll just ignore them, alright?" he said, hoping to calm her down.  
  
"I don't know if that's going to work... what if-"  
  
"If they try to hurt you, I'll take them down, but otherwise, we'll leave them be, and they won't do anything. I know how their minds work, Mia. They're not bad people, they're just temperamental. Trust me." That was it; those two final worlds were all Draco needed to say to get Hermione to agree.  
  
"Okay, okay," she said and Draco smiled. He didn't say anything for a moment, but gently removed her hand from his face, holding it between his own. "I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell me she wouldn't want to talk to you?" Draco shrugged, still maintaining half a smile.  
  
"I thought I should at least try. It's not your fault, Hermione; it was mine." Hermione looked down.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said again and Draco caught his lips on hers.  
  
"Go ahead, love. I'll be in in a minute," he whispered, breaking the light kiss. Hermione took a slightly deep breath and nodded.  
  
"Okay," she whispered back, but gave him another kiss before standing. Draco smiled and watched his Gryffindor retreat to the bathroom. He'd let her get settled before joining her; perhaps she'd calm down a little. It wasn't until she reemerged from the lavatory that Draco's smile dropped. She was wearing heavy pajamas. Not good. The only other times Hermione had worn that sweatshirt and flannel sleeper pants was when she was mad at him and when she was unnaturally cold.  
  
Draco watched her attentively, and with worry, as she walked to the bedroom. Hermione looked up before entering and smiled, blowing him a kiss. Draco smiled back and she left, closing the door all but a crack behind her. **At least she's not mad at me. **  
  
Draco joined Hermion in bed not five minutes later, but she was already half asleep. She lay with her eyes closed, in what Draco was happy to note were no longer her heavy sleepwear. He crawled slowly in beside her, hoping not to be a disturbance, but Hermione's eyes popped open and she smiled widely.  
  
"Hey," she said and Draco smiled back.  
  
"Hey," he agreed and leaned in for a kiss. As he did this, Hermione propped herself up on her elbow so that when their kiss ended, she could push him back. "You're not wearing my shirt," he pointed out as she settled herself in his arms. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I don't need to; I've got my dragon right here," she said and squeezed him. "No pun intended." Draco laughed.  
  
"Well that's a first. Every woman I've ever met has called me Dragon at one time or another, the connection fresh in their minds I'm sure. I think they do it to deliberately annoy me... Mia, what are you doing?" As Draco talked, Hermione had begun to slowly kiss him. First along his collarbone, then up his neck and across his jaw, and finally to his ear, which is wear he asked her. Hermione stopped and pulled back to look at him.  
  
"You promised me tomorrow," she said quietly and Draco smiled.  
  
"I'm surprised you even remember that."  
  
"Do you not want to? Because we don't HAVE to, of course, I just thought that..." With a large smile, Draco cut her off; with his lips. "Mm..." she mumbled as she relaxed and fell into his kiss. Hermione let the caress sit for a moment, then broke away with a deep exhale. "You scared me half to death today, you know that?" she cut off his answer with another kiss. "'What if you never see me again'" she shuddered. "God, Draco..." Draco didn't know what to say. He really did regret saying that, but it had been one of those say-it-before-you-think-about-it things.  
  
"Hermione..." he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. She closed her eyes.  
  
"Just don't do it again, okay? I've come close to losing you more times than I want to be reminded of," Hermione pleaded, giving him gentle kisses as she spoke.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere, Mia. I promise."  
  
"I need you, Draco... probably more than is good for me," Hermione said, smiling, and Draco placed a kiss on her forehead. "Say something," she pleaded in whisper and Draco closed his eyes.  
  
"I don't know what to tell you, Hermione... I'm unbelievably sorry... I wasn't thinking... you know how I am like that..." he sighed. "I don't deserve your immediate forgiveness, Mia. I want you to be mad at me for a while, alright?" Hermione smiled.  
  
"I can't," she whispered before starting again on her kisses.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Good morning, sunshine," Draco whispered as he saw her open her eyes and Hermione smiled. She absolutely loved his voice. She felt Draco kiss her lightly and her eyes popped open again as she thought of something. Hermione rolled her shoulders back, brow crinkling as she looked up at her boyfriend.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, although Draco was smiling like a maniac.  
  
"Absolutely nothing, why?" Hermione still looked concerned. She brought a hand to his face.  
  
"Well then, why are you awake? You're never awake, not since... a long time. Are you sure you're alright?" Draco chuckled.  
  
"I'm definitely sure. Loosen up, love." He kissed her and Hermione smiled.  
  
"You still haven't told me why you left Narnia about three hours early... or more, depending on how long you've been watching me," she reminded him and Draco kissed her softly.  
  
"I awoke this early this morn and your unmistakable beauty captivated all five of my senses, rendering me to trade the bliss of sleep for the awe of your side," he said and Hermione closed her eyes again.  
  
"How very poetic," she said and Draco smiled. Hermione opened her eyes again. "That was beautiful, Draco. How long did it take you to write that?" Draco smiled.  
  
"How long would make you think me incredibly witty?" she giggled.  
  
"If you told me it was spontaneous."  
  
"Alright then, it was spontaneous. Completely spur of the moment." Hermione smiled.  
  
"How long was the moment?"  
  
"Since dawn. I knew you'd ask; had to be prepared," Draco said and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"How is it that sometimes you make me want to body bind you and leave you in the rain... and other times all I want to do is kiss you?" Draco bit his lip in mock nervousness.  
  
"Gee, I sure hope this is one of the latter situations." Hermione laughed.  
  
"I've never felt so damn popcorn-y in my life," she assured him and Draco grinned, kissing her softly.  
  
"Better?" she didn't even open her eyes.  
  
"Again." 


End file.
